Come Hell Or High Water
by 4everklaine
Summary: When Kurt and Blaine Anderson-Hummel take an unexpected trip home to Ohio things take a surprising turn when their daughter turns up missing. With things spiraling out of their control, Kurt and Blaine have their own ways of handling the pain of this situation. But with a life back in New York and responsibility weighing heavy on their shoulders, Kurt and Blaine must learn to bala
1. Week 1 - Here We Go Again

The clock on the wall ticked by slowly. Belle Hummel stared blankly at a math problem she couldn't figure out, and her father sat next to her with his hands over his face.

"Daddy, I just don't understand. You're not making any sense," Belle pouted, sitting back in her chair.

"Should we take a break?" he asked, running his hands through his thick hair.

"Can it be an ice cream break?" Belle raised an eyebrow.

Smiling, he replied, "Okay but don't tell your father."

Her hazel eyes lit up and she ran to the fridge. Opening the freezer door, she tried to reach the ice cream container in the back. "Ugh," she grunted, trying to jump to reach it.

"Here, let me help," he pulled out the ice cream and set it on the table.

Just as the ice cream scoop got shoved into the ice cream, Belle's other father snapped, "Blaine Devon Anderson, what do you think you're doing?"

Placing a scoop of ice cream in a pink bowl, Blaine replied, "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm getting our sweet princess a snack."

"She's supposed to be doing homework," Kurt Hummel replied, placing his hands on his hips.

Blaine rolled his eyes, "We are doing homework. This is just motivation."

Giggling, Belle said, "Yeah, Dad, it's motivation."

Kurt gaped at Blaine, "You are a terrible influence on our daughter."

"I never said I wasn't," Blaine winked.

"Let's just hope I have more influence over the next one," Kurt stuck his tongue out.

When Belle dug into her bowl, Blaine pulled his husband to the side and quietly said, "I'm really glad we're doing this."

"Me too," Kurt smiled brightly. "I think we're ready to do this again."

"I'm just dreading starting math all over again," Blaine scrunched up his face in disgust.

"You've got a few years," Kurt laughed.

"When are we going to tell Belle?" Blaine motioned to the girl behind them.

Kurt hesitated. Belle was so comfortable with their life now. She had friends at school, and she had her dads all to herself. She was happy. Could she handle such a big change?

"When she gets curious," Kurt decided. "Rachel's not going to start showing for a couple months... We'll tell her then."

"Are you sure?" Blaine asked.

Kurt watched Belle for a moment, as she finished her bowl and put it in the sink. She called for Kurt to come help her and he nodded, "I'm sure."

"Don't you want me to help?" Blaine asked, stepping toward the table.

"No!" Belle said harshly. Her face softened and she said, "I'm sorry, daddy. You're good at teaching me piano but you aren't good at math. I want dad to help me."

"Maybe I can have influence on her after all," Kurt stuck his tongue out at Blaine again and Belle chuckled softly.

There was a knock on the door and Belle jumped back out of her chair. "They're here!" she called. "They're finally here!"

"I'll get it," Blaine raced her to the door. He opened it and Belle leapt into Sam's arms. "Hi, Sammy!" she hugged him tightly.

"Hey, Bumblebee!" Sam Evans kissed her cheek. "I missed you. We're really excited for you to come stay over this weekend."

"Me too," Belle said, reaching for Rachel. "I hate waiting every other weekend. It takes so long to get here.."

"So do we," Rachel hummed, as she pulled Belle into her arms. "But we always enjoy the weekends we have you."

"Don't forget she has her ballet recital Saturday though," Kurt told Rachel. "She can't miss it. She needs to be there at five o'clock sharp."

"Noted," Sam said, putting it on his calendar in his cell phone.

"What's for dinner tonight? Is it almost ready?" Rachel asked. "I have to get down to the theater soon, but I'm starving."

"There's a roast in the oven," Kurt informed her.

"How are you feeling?" Blaine whispered, as Belle dragged Sam to the table and said, "Sammy, my dads are no help. Please help me."

"I'm fine," Rachel placed a hand on his shoulder. "We only just got this done. It's not like I'm puking my guts out yet, so I'm okay."

"Something to look forward to," Kurt sighed. "I'm sorry we're putting you through this again."

"Hey, it's my pleasure," Rachel replied. "It's the least I can do after you let me spend every other weekend with Belle."

"Does Sam regret it now that it's done?" Blaine asked nervously, worried about this hurting their relationship.

"He seems okay," Rachel sighed, glancing toward Sam and Belle. "I mean, we're not married. We don't have commitments. I don't want a child with someone I'm not married to... I love Sam very much but I think he knows we aren't ready."

"So he's not jealous?" Kurt asked.

Rachel shook her head, "I hope not. I wish he would've told me if he wasn't happy when the four of us sat down and made the decision."

"I think he seemed okay. He didn't seem angry about it or anything," said Blaine, thinking back to the conversation the four of them had a while back.

"I think, like me, Sam just wants you two to be happy. We're all so close and we only want the best for each other," Rachel concluded. "When I told you my Broadway run was ending soon and Kurt said you were considering the idea of having another child, I was genuinely happy for you."

"I'm just glad you didn't lose a Broadway role this time," Blaine said.

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest, "Funny Girl just wasn't meant to be, you know? I got to star in a brand new musical and Sally's Song has been so special for me, but it's time for a change."

"But now you'll be out of a job," Kurt said sadly.

"It's okay. Sam and I will manage," she reassured him. "I'm prepared to keep up with auditions and I'll be on a stage again in no time."

"So you're really okay with this?" Kurt pressed.

"Yes," Rachel laughed. "You guys worry too much. I'm honestly happy for you and Belle. She's gonna be a big sister. That's a huge deal."

"I hope she likes the idea," Blaine said. It has been something that bothered him since they decided to have another child.

"I think the four of you will be happy together," Rachel smiled.

* * *

"That's my favorite song! It's my favorite song!" Carter Thomas clapped loudly.

"I'm glad you liked it," Blaine smiled, placing a hand on Carter's back. "Maybe I can play it again for you in our session next week."

"Can you teach it to me?" Carter asked hopefully.

"I would love to," Blaine said, knowing that would be a bit of a challenge. He was willing to try it. "But it looks like your mom is here to take you home. We'll have to do it in our next session."

Blaine was a full time musical therapist at the hospital. He saw patients at the hospital as well as outpatient children that came in once a week. Carter Thomas was a nine-year-old boy that came in through outpatient sessions. He had autism and his parents had signed him up a couple weeks ago. So far, Blaine really liked spending time with Carter.

"Hi sweetie!" Sarah Thomas called to her son. "How was he today?" she asked Blaine.

"He was great," Blaine informed her, rising from the piano bench. "I started playing A Whole New World from Aladdin and he was ready to learn the song."

"Aladdin is his favorite movie. He watches it every morning," Sarah nodded. "I think that will be good for him. Thank you, Doctor Anderson."

"My pleasure," Blaine shook her hand. "I'll see you next week, buddy."

"Bye!" Carter called, running down the hall before his mom.

It was his last appointment of the day, and Blaine packed up to head home. He was just on his way out the door when he got a call from Kurt. "Hey, babe. I missed you."

"Can you pick up Belle from ballet today? I'm swamped at work and I won't be home for another hour," Kurt's frantic voice came through the phone. "I was supposed to be there fifteen minutes ago and I totally forgot. She's probably freaking out."

"Like you?" Blaine laughed.

"Blaine, this is serious!" Kurt said hotly.

"Okay, okay," Blaine bit his lip. "I'm on my way out of the hospital now. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Thank you, sweetie," Kurt took a deep breath. "I'll be home in an hour and a half. I love you very much."

"I love you too," Blaine hung up the phone. He made his way to the streets to catch the subway. He made it to the ballet studio in twenty minutes.

"Daddy!" Belle called to him, when she saw him. She waved Blaine over to the bench she was sitting on, packing her bag.

Three girls nearby began giggling loudly and one girl called out, "Where's your girl dad?"

"Yeah, the one with the high voice and the scarves," another girl high-hived the first girl.

"Hey!" Blaine snapped, as Belle's face turned red. "That was really rude."

"Have you heard his voice? It's so funny," the first girl giggled.

"That's my husband you're talking about," Blaine crossed his arms over his chest, trying to look somewhat intimidating. "More importantly, how could you say something so hurtful about Belle's parent?"

"Uh because she doesn't have normal parents," the girl replied. "That's why she's not normal."

Blaine was about to respond when the ballet instructor stepped in, "Ladies, that's enough. Apologize to Belle and Mr. Anderson at once."

"Sorry," they mumbled half-heartedly in unison.

"Now go on. I'm sure your folks are waiting for you," she ordered.

"Thank you, Rhonda," Blaine sighed in relief. It wouldn't have done him any good to fight with seven-year- old girls.

"Of course," Rhonda replied. "I'll see you Saturday, Belle. Five o'clock."

"Bye," Belle said quietly, waving.

Leading his daughter out into the hall, Blaine knelt down in front of her. Brushing hair behind her ear, he asked, "Are you okay?"

She shrugged, "I'm used to it. Amber, Danielle, and Macy always tease me about you and dad... Just because I don't have a real mom at home."

"That doesn't make it okay," Blaine shook his head. He moved his hand down to cup her cheek. "Rachel is your real mom. Did you tell them that?"

Tears formed in her eyes and she said, "Yeah, but that doesn't matter to them. They think I'm weird because I don't have a normal family."

Feeling his heart break for her, Blaine said, "I'm really sorry, honey. They just don't understand because they don't know what it's like... You have a different family that loves you more than anything, and that's what really matters."

"Thanks, daddy. I love you too," Belle hugged him tightly.

With his thumb, Blaine brushed a tear off her cheek and said, "Don't ever let anyone bring you down. You are a wonderful girl just the way you are."

* * *

Staring at the ceiling, Blaine couldn't fall asleep. He tossed and turned for over an hour and he knew he was keeping Kurt awake.

"What's bothering you?" Kurt finally asked, as Blaine let out a frustrated groan.

"Something happened at ballet today that I can't let go," Blaine rolled on to his side to face Kurt.

"Did you forget your tutu again?" Kurt chuckled.

"No, but these girls forget to check their attitude at the door. They gave Belle a hard time about having two dads," Blaine said.

Propping himself on his elbow, Kurt said, "it's not the first time she's heard it. Kids do it at school too... It makes me wonder how much she's teased and what she doesn't tell us."

"But I hate it. She's getting bullied and there's nothing I can do to stop it," Blaine said. "Those girls shouldn't get off that easy. Rhonda just told them to apologize and they didn't mean it at all."

"They're just kids. They don't understand what it means to not have a mom and a dad at home," Kurt replied. "It doesn't justify what they do but there's always going to be someone that doesn't agree with our relationship. How many times have we seen that look in public?"

"The one where people stare at our embraced hands like we have the chicken pox?" Blaine rolled his eyes.

"I hate to say it but it's something Belle will have to deal with for a long time. She's only in the second grade, Blaine," Kurt reminded him.

"It just got me thinking..." Blaine hesitated, worried how Kurt would take this. "Is it fair to put our next kid through that kind of ridicule?"

"You can't be having regrets now," Kurt sat up and turned the lamp next to him on. "We aren't changing our minds. It's too late."

"I know," Blaine rolled on to his back and went back to staring at the ceiling. "I just hate the thought of something bad happening to our sweet angel that doesn't even know the world yet."

"You know, if there's one thing I've learned with Belle, it's that you can't stop the pain," Kurt said. "I remember when she fell on the playground and broke her arm two years ago. I felt horrible because there was nothing I could do to ease the pain."

"But you were there for her," Blaine pointed out. "You took her to the emergency room and sat with her for hours while you waited."

"Blaine, she'll have a lot more pain in life than a broken arm. Someday it'll be broken hearts, broken dreams... And all we'll be able to do is be there for her," Kurt curled up next to Blaine and wrapped his arm around his waist.

"That doesn't seem like enough," Blaine admitted.

Kurt kissed his cheek, "I know. Trust me, it doesn't make you any less of a parent. You're wonderful and I'm so happy our daughter has someone like you."

* * *

**Hi everyone! Here is the sequel to Come What May! I wasn't sure I wanted to go through Kurt and Blaine having another kid but since this series is about Kurt and Blaine growing as a family, I have a plan to add it to the drama. It's not going to be quite as centered around it because I have a bigger plan but I hope you don't mind that it's there. I wanted to keep the flow of the series going, so that's just how it planned out. I hope you guys will give this story a chance! I'm really excited about it! :) And if you haven't read Come What May, go do so please! **


	2. Week 2 - The Bullies Of Ballet

"Hello?" Kurt answered his phone, as he slid his shoes on his feet.

"Hey, have you left yet?" Rachel's voice came through the other line. Her voice sounded strained.

"I'm on my way out the door," Kurt grabbed his keys off the kitchen counter. "Are you at the recital yet?"

"Well, yes, but Belle left her ballet slippers at your apartment. Will you bring them?" she asked urgently. "And get here as soon as you can."

"Uh, yes, I'll be there as soon as possible," Kurt hung up the phone and dodged into Belle's bedroom. He got down on his knees and searched under her bed until he found her slippers in the mess of shoes Rachel bought her.

Once Kurt had reached the venue, he went backstage and found Belle talking to her friend Emily. "Hey, Belle!" Kurt called, waving her slippers in the air for her to see.

"Hi, dad," Belle smiled. She took her ballet slippers from him and quickly put them on her feet. "Thanks for bringing these. You saved our show."

"Good luck out there. I know you're going to do so well," Kurt pulled Belle into a hug.

"Thanks, dad," Belle smiled. Kissing his cheek, she added, "I'll see you after the show."

"Good luck, Emily!" Kurt called on his way out to his seat. He found Sam, Rachel, and Blaine sitting in the third row, along with Tiffany Carter, Emily's mom. Sam had his video camera with him and aimed at Kurt's face.

"Sam, no," Kurt put a hand in front of his face. "No one needs to see me."

"Oh, come on, don't you want to be a part of this?" Sam shut the camera screen and sat back in his seat, pouting.

"No," Kurt said flatly. Sam had gotten into filming the important events in Belle's life. As a teacher, he said there were so many kids that he wished he knew more about, so it was important to remember everything about the girl he did know.

Everyone was asked to take their seats, because the show was starting in five minutes. Kurt sat down between Blaine and Rachel and took Blaine's hand in his, causing Blaine to smile.

Ten minutes passed and nothing happened. Buzz in the room continued to grow once again as people grew tired of waiting. Kurt gave Blaine a worried glance and asked, "Why do you think they haven't come out yet?"

"I don't know," Blaine shrugged.

"Excuse me?" someone tapped on Blaine's shoulder. A young girl in a leotard blushed when they met her gaze. "Uh Mr. hummels, you're wanted backstage. "

"Why?" Kurt and Blaine said in unison, quickly popping out of their seats.

"Follow me," the girl led them out to the aisle and into the hall. She led them through a door and into a large room that was used as their backstage area.

"What's going on?" Blaine said harshly, when he spotted the small group of girls crowded in a circle near the end of the room.

"Ah, Mr. Anderson, I'm glad you're here," Rhonda motioned Blaine forward, where Belle sat on a bench next to Danielle and Macy. "After Mr. Hummel left, Danielle began teasing Belle again."

Kurt looked at Belle, who's face was pale. Her hair had been pulled from her bun in a mess at the top of her head. The sleeve if her leotard had a tear in it. But the worst part was the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

"I just made fun of her dad. She was the one who attacked me," Danielle whined, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Because I'm tired of her picking on me," Belle shouted, defending herself. "I just pushed her. Macy was the one that grabbed my hair and pulled it."

"Once I saw Macy and Danielle against Belle, I tried to break them up," Rhonda said. "They fought against me, pulling on her outfit, and that's how her sleeve tore."

"And now what? We just act like nothing happened?" Kurt said hotly. "This isn't the first time these girls have given my daughter a hard time."

"I can't ask them to leave. The whole team is relying on them, and I can't let everyone else down," Rhonda said quietly. "These girls have worked so hard to get here."

"Well, if you can't take care of this after today, we'll find a better ballet class for Belle," Blaine said firmly. "This is unacceptable."

Kurt knelt down in front of Belle and said, "I'm really sorry, honey. I'm the reason they're giving you a hard time." He turned her around and started fixing her bun, something Rachel had taught him how to do.

"You aren't the only thing they tease me about," Belle said, when she turned back to face him. "They're just mean."

"Are you sure you want to go through with this? We can go home if you want," Kurt placed his hand under her chin and met her beautiful hazel eyes that reminded him so much of Blaine.

"My team needs me," Belle smiled weakly. "But I think I want to come home with you and skip my second night with mom and Sam."

"Okay," Kurt whispered, giving her a hug. "Break a leg... Keep your chin up. "

Kurt and Blaine made their way back out to their seats. Before they sat down, Tiffany asked, "Is everything okay?"

Blaine only had time to say, "Yeah, they just - " before the music started and the house lights went down.

Despite the backstage drama, Belle's ballet class worked in sync together and the show came out beautifully, leaving Kurt and Rachel in proud tears.

From her spot in their curtain call, Belle blew her family a kiss. She gave Sam's video camera a thumbs up, before she left the stage with her team.

Blaine turned to Kurt and softly kissed his lips. He whispered, "That's our girl."

* * *

"Are we wrong to pull Belle out of the class?" Kurt asked three days later.

"You said nothing changed after rehearsal yesterday. You told Rhonda to handle the situation and she clearly didn't," Sam said defensively. "Losing one of her best dancers is what she gets for not taking you seriously.

"But won't Danielle and the girls give her a hard time about it when they see her at school?" Rachel stepped in. "Hasn't she been humiliated enough?"

"I don't know," Kurt groaned, leaning his head back on the couch. "But yesterday Belle said Macy gave her a hard time on a bathroom break, so it wasn't even around Rhonda. When Belle told Rhonda what happened, she did nothing about it Belle told me when I picked her up that Danielle called her a tattletale afterward."

"If you feel that strongly about it, then follow your heart," Sam replied. "Take her out."

"But Belle's happy there. She likes Rhonda as a teacher. Emily's there and I don't want that to put a wedge in their friendship. Emily's her best friend," Blaine added.

"Well, it sounds like you guys need to make a decision," Rachel said.

"In Rhonda's defense, she didn't see it happen," Sam added. "Maybe you should just wait it out a little longer."

"Or have a talk with Danielle and Macy's moms," Rachel rose from the couch. "I wish I could tell you what to do. Trust me, Sam and I have been debating about it too. There's just not a simple answer, so maybe you should wait it out."

"Well, thank you for your suggestions. You know Kurt and I value your opinions, so we'll think about it," Blaine smiled, walking them to the door.

"Alright. Well, we really should get going. It's almost eleven. We'll see you guys later," Rachel hugged them both before they left.

Blaine walked over to Belle's doorway and peered inside. "She's sleeping," he said, before curling up on the couch next to Kurt.

"So what do you think?" Kurt asked, wrapping his arm around Blaine's torso, pulling him close..

Leaning his head on Kurt's shoulder, Blaine replied, "I don't know. I guess all we can do is see how things play out the next couple weeks... But if anything like that fight happens again, she's gone."

"I think that's fair," Kurt nodded, running the tips of his fingers up and down Blaine's arm. "I'm really glad you're around to help make decisions like this. It's tough, you know?"

"I know," Blaine sighed. "I was so upset to see someone else harm her emotionally. I almost wanted to take her home the moment it happened, but it wouldn't have been fair to Belle... It just really bothers me."

"Maybe I should take your mind off it," Kurt reached over and placed his hand under Blaine's chin, tilting his head to face him.

"I could use that," Blaine said quietly, leaning forward to find Kurt's lips. His hand came up to cup Kurt's cheek in a familiar touch.

Deepening the kiss, Kurt placed his hand on Blaine's chest and pushed him backward on the couch. He bent over him and entwined his other hand in Blaine's thick curls.

Groaning with pleasure, Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt's shoulders and pulled him down on top of him. "Don't stop," he said between kisses.

"Please stop," a small voice said in disgust from the other side of the room.

Breaking apart, Kurt climbed off of Blaine and stood up brushing off his clothes. "Sweetheart, what are you doing up?"

"I had a bad dream," Belle climbed on Blaine's lap and glanced at Kurt. "Whenever I'm sad, mom gets me a glass of water. Can you get me one?"

"Of course," Kurt shifted into the kitchen, grabbed her favorite princess cup out of the cupboard and poured her some water. Returning to the living room, he sat next to Blaine and handed it to her. "Better?"

"Yes," Belle took a sip.

Blaine began stroking her hair, "What was your dream about?"

"Macy was being mean during a recital and Ms. Rhonda was so mad that I ruined her show that she pushed me off the stage," Belle told them.

Kurt and Blaine exchanged surprised faces. "Honey, Ms. Rhonda would never push you."

"I know," Belle took a long drink from her water. She avoided Kurt's worried gaze.

"This whole ballet thing is getting to you, isn't it?" Kurt said, placing a hand on her small knee.

"It's just not fair," Belle whined. "Why do they always want to pick on me? Why not someone else?"

"Do you still want to be in the class?" Kurt couldn't stop himself from asking.

"Yeah, I don't want to be a quitter," Belle said, handing Blaine her cup. Resting her head on Blaine's chest, she added, "I just want those girls to leave me alone."

"We'll figure something out, sweetie, don't worry," Kurt reassured her.

The three of them sat there until Belle fell asleep in Blaine's arms. He carried her back to bed and Kurt followed. Blaine tucked her under the covers and kissed her forehead, "We will figure something out," he whispered.

Kurt took his turn to kiss her forehead, before he turned to his husband and said, "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make her happy."

* * *

"Kurt, this might be my favorite design you've ever done," Isabelle Wright announced from across her desk.

"Really?" Kurt exclaimed, clapping his hands together in excitement. "I was so afraid you'd hate it." He felt so relieved. This was a project he had worked so hard to finish.

"No, it's brilliant," Isabelle reassured him, flipping through the images on the tablet screen.

"Thank you very much," Kurt rose from his chair and she did the same. He gave her a hug and said, "I'll see you Monday."

"Have a good weekend," Isabelle smiled. "We'll discuss this further next weekend."

Kurt picked up Belle from Sam and Rachel's apartment, Sam agreed to take her home and watch her after school on days she didn't have ballet. They made their way home a short while later and Kurt started dinner, while she sat at the kitchen table doing homework.

Around six o'clock, Blaine trudged through the door with his phone pressed to his ear. "Well, that's bullshit. I shouldn't have to do this."

Kurt cleared his throat, pointing toward Belle seated on the couch with the television on. "Language," he whispered.

Blaine hung up his coat and said into the phone, "It's just a shi... I mean, a lousy situation but I know I can't avoid it." He paused, still standing near the front door. "Yeah, I'll be there... Okay, I'll confirm it with you later... I love you too. Bye."

Kurt raised an eyebrow, "Everything okay?"

Gripping his phone tightly, Blaine stared at the floor. His eyes began to tear and he quickly buried his face in his hands.

"Babe?" Kurt set down his spatula and rushed to Blaine's side. "What's wrong?" When he didn't respond, Kurt pried Blaine's hands from his face. Giving them a gentle squeeze, he cooed, "Talk to me. Please."

Taking a deep breath, Blaine wiped the tears from his eyes and said, "My dad died."

"What?" Kurt gasped.

"I don't even know how to feel about it," Blaine sounded defeated. "I haven't spoken to him in years, and I've still been so angry with him."

"Blaine," Kurt whispered, cupping his cheek and brushing a tear with his thumb. "I don't know what to say."

Shrugging, Blaine admitted, "I don't either... I hated him for what he did to me, but he was my dad. Now I have no chance of ever fixing things with him."

"I thought you had no intention of fixing things," Kurt said quietly.

"This is just more final. He still was my dad, you know?" Blaine sighed. After Blaine had come out to his dad, Michael Anderson had basically disowned his son and hadn't bothered to act like Blaine existed since.

"So what now?" Kurt asked. With things in such rough shape between Blaine and Michael, Kurt was unsure how Blaine would take this. "Was that your mom?"

"Yeah... Yeah, she wants me to come down to Westerville for a few days. She wants Coop and me to come help her sort through his stuff," Blaine replied, completely unaware that Belle was now watching him intently.

"Are you going to go?" Kurt continued to stroke his cheek. "I can handle things here with Belle. Don't even worry about this ballet issue anymore."

"Yeah, in a few days. Mom's going to handle the funeral arrangements but she wants to wait until after the funeral to sort through things," Blaine said. "I don't want to take off too much time at work."

"Just let me know what you need me to do, okay?" Kurt said quietly.

Burying his face in Kurt's shoulder, Blaine wrapped his arms around his waist and softly said, "Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you."

* * *

**Author's Note: **

**Hi guys! So this chapter's kind of building up to the actual story, so right now it's not too much but I promise there's so much more coming! **

**Enjoy! :)**


	3. Week 3 - Road Of Regret

_"I don't know how to tell you this..." Blaine looked up into his father's eyes and willed himself to just get it over with. "But I've been keeping a secret for a long time now."_

_"A secret?" Michael repeated._

_"I didn't leave Rachel for another woman, because I..." he paused, taking a deep, shaky breath. He felt Kurt's grip tighten and he said, "I left Rachel for Kurt," Blaine felt his heart stop._

_"What did you just say?" Michael's eyebrows were now nearly hitting his hairline._

_Blaine began rambling_ _out of nerves, "I started seeing Kurt while I was still with Rachel. I cheated, because Kurt made me realize that it wasn't working with Rachel. I had been using Rachel to hide from the fact that I'm - "_

"_Don't say it!" Michael shouted._

_"I'm gay. I'm totally and completely gay, and the last three years with Rachel was a lie. I had hoped I could shake the feeling, but I'm in love with Kurt and I can't shake that," Blaine said._

_"NO!" Michael roared. "You will not speak of such foolish things in my house!"_

_"Dad, please," Blaine felt tears form in his eyes. "Please, I need you to support my decision."_

_Michael slammed a fist on the table, jumping from his seat. He pointed a finger at Blaine and said, "How dare you leave your pregnant girlfriend for a man! How dare you sit here and talk about such shameful things!"_

_"It's my life we're talking about!" Blaine stood up. "I'm telling you this because it's real, dad. It's happening. I'm not marrying Rachel. I love Kurt. I love him and someday I w_ant to marry him."

_Michael's face turned red and he gripped the table, His face was red with rage. He looked like he would slap Blaine if he had been close enough. He growled, "That's bullshit. You do not want to marry this - this abomination."_

_"I do, dad," Blaine replied. "I know this is hard for you to understand."_

_"There's nothing to understand!" He shouted. "I told you that you weren't ready to father this child, but you've crossed a line. You're not even ready to take two steps out that damn door."_

_"I can still father this child. Rachel and I have an understanding. She wants me to be a part of her life," Blaine said. "And if I have Kurt by my side, I know the four of us can be a family."_

_Michael banged his fist on the table again and shouted "Forget the stupid girl. This is about your idiotic choice to act in a sinful way. You are not bringing this man into this family."_

"_It's not a choice, dad!" Blaine shouted. "I can't help the way I feel. I loved Rachel but I was never in love with her. I tried telling myself that it was just a phase, but it's not."_

_"You lied to your mother and to me," Michael scowled._

_"With the way you're behaving, can't you see why I lied?" Blaine asked._

_"Not only did you ruin the plans to finish medical school before you started a family but now you've ruined that new plan," Michael pulled at his own hair. "What's your plan now, Blaine? How do you plan on getting yourself out of this one?"_

_"I don't know!" Blaine shouted, tears pouring down his cheeks. "I don't have a plan! I might not finish medical school. I might not be the perfect father. I might not even be the perfect son. All I know is that I love Kurt and we'll make this work."_

_Michael picked up a glass and chucked it at Blaine, who barely had time to duck. It shattered against the wall behind him and he felt himself shake violently, crouched on the floor beside Kurt's chair._

_"You are no son of mine," Michael said coldly. He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room._

* * *

It was the last conversation Blaine would ever have with his father. Over the next two days, the conversation ran through Blaine's head over and over again.

Blaine had been so hurt after that evening. He had always known that his father wouldn't approve of his choices, but it was something he had to know, because Blaine was starting a family with Kurt.

His mother had walked out on Michael after that. Pam told Blaine that Michael acted like he was never around and it left Blaine in a state of anger toward his father.

How could someone toss their child to the side like they don't matter?

About a year after Blaine married Kurt, Pam began to speak to Michael again. She told him that they weren't going to get back together but within eight months, she was living with him again. She had no where else to go and Michael needed someone to take care of him. When she spoke to Blaine, it was whenever Michael wasn't around. She always came to New York to visit him, so Blaine hadn't been back to that part of Ohio in years.

And now here he was forced to go back to Westerville because of his father. He had made arrangements to fly in that Wednesday for the funeral on Friday.

In the meantime, Blaine couldn't get the feeling of guilt out of his stomach. He could have tried harder to earn his father's forgiveness. He could have forgiven his father for what he did to Blaine. Something could have been done but now it was too late to do anything.

"Sweetie, did you hear me?" Kurt's voice broke through his thoughts.

"What?" Blaine glanced up at him. He shook his head, "I'm sorry, Kurt."

"Don't be sorry," Kurt sat down on the bed next to him. "Do you mind taking Belle to school on your way to work?"

"Sure," he nodded.

"Are you sure you want to go to work?" Kurt raised an eyebrow.

Running a hand over his face, Blaine said, "I have to. I want to keep my mind busy and I'll be able to take time off next week."

"I just don't want you to strain yourself too much. You've been so closed off and I'm worried about you," Kurt stroked his hair gently.

"I'm fine," Blaine stood up. "Trust me. I hated my dad for what he did to me. I shouldn't be that upset, right?"

"Unless you're full of regret," Kurt replied.

"I have to go," Blaine shuffled to Belle's doorway and peered in her room. "Are you ready to go?"

"Can you put this hair clip in my hair for me?" Belle held out a butterfly clip to him.

Placing the clip in her hair, Blaine held out his hand and said, "All right. Come on, we're running behind." He ushered her out the door and they walked down to the subway hand in hand.

"Daddy, can I ask you a question?" Belle asked once they were seated on the subway and she sat on his lap.

"Of course," Blaine smiled at her.

"What happened with your dad?" Belle asked quietly. "I don't understand."

Stiffening, Blaine gripped the pull next to him and stared into her hazel eyes . He held her gaze for a moment, before he took a deep breath, "He died a couple days ago."

"Oh..." she paused. "How come I've never met him? I've met Papa Burt."

"It's complicated. I wasn't close to my dad the way your dad is close to Papa Burt," Blaine said, taking her hand. "But this means I have to go away for a few days."

"Do you have to?" Belle leaned her head on his shoulder. "I don't want you to leave."

"It's just a few days. I'll be back in no time," Blaine promised his daughter. "You can spend the weekend alone with your dad. I'm sure you guys will do something fun."

"I guess," Belle sighed.

"It's gonna be fine, I promise," Blaine kissed the top of her head.

When they arrived at Belle's school, Blaine gave her a hug before she ran off to find Emily. He watched her run to the front door and stared with sad eyes.

He though of all the times his dad had taken him to school over the years. Really, Michael had done a lot for Blaine in his lifetime . He had raised Blaine and given him a home. There was so much more to their relationship than how it ended, and that was why Blaine felt so terrible about how it ended.

No, no, just try it again. It's okay. You'll get it," Blaine told Carter that Wednesday afternoon. He leaned in closely, watching his clumsy fingers trip over the keys.

"It's hard," Carter banged his fist on the keys.

Placing a hand on his back, Blaine said, "I know, buddy. You'll get it in time."

"It's hard!" Carter repeated, continuing to bang the keys.

"Okay, okay," Blaine placed his hands over Carter's and told him, "take a few deep breaths. It's okay."

"I want to be done," Carter told him. He jumped off the piano bench and ran to the door, whipping it open. Blaine had learned in the three weeks he had been with Carter that he was very sensitive.

"How was he today?" his mother asked.

"He's just gotta get the hang of it. He was a little frustrated but we'll get there. It's only a small part of the melody," Blaine smiled.

"Thank you, Doctor Anderson," Sarah shook his hand before leading Carter down the hall.

"You know, it's so cute to hear you get called that in a professional setting," Rachel looped her arm through his. "Usually I just hear Kurt call you that as a pet name."

"Shut up," Blaine laughed.

"No, really, I love it," Rachel said, as they began to walk down the hall. "You're so handsome in that suit and you've worked so hard to get to where you are. I'm really proud of you."

"Well, thank you," Blaine kissed her forehead. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I wanted to come say goodbye before you took off," Rachel admitted. "I just dropped Belle off at your apartment. Kurt went home to get your suitcase so you can head straight to the airport."

"Is he still there?" Blaine whipped out his phone from his pocket and dialed Kurt's number, hoping he'd answer in time.

"Yeah, he said he'd meet you there at six-thirty," Rachel stated.

"Hey," Kurt's sweet voice came through the phone. After such a long day at work, the sound of his voice calmed Blaine.

"Come with me," Blaine blurted out.

"What?" Kurt asked, confused.

Stating something that had been on his mind for days, Blaine admitted, "I can't be away from you when I'm this vulnerable. I need you. Please come with me."

"Honey, I have to work tomorrow," Kurt said quietly. "I'm not even packed and Belle - "

"Belle can come with us," Blaine finished.

"Are you sure you don't want to leave her with Sam and Rachel?" he asked.

"No, I-i need her there too. She can miss a little school. It'd probably be good for her to get away from Macy and Danielle anyway," Blaine said, holding a door open for Rachel. They made their way down the street and toward the subway. "Please, Kurt," Blaine begged.

"You expect me to pack that quickly for both of us?" Kurt chuckled.

"I need you," Blaine offered.

"I don't even have tickets," Kurt reminded him.

"Call the airline and see if they have any open seats," Blaine's tone softened and he added, "I just really can't face this alone. You're the only person that can get me through this."

"I'll see what I can do," Kurt reassured him. "But I gotta let you go so I can call the airline. I love you."

"Thank you, babe. I love you too," he hung up and turned to Rachel, running a hand over his face, "Was I wrong to beg him?"

Shaking her head, Rachel said, "He called me yesterday and told me you were a mess. He said he's worried about you, so I'm sure he wants to do what's best for you."

"I just can't be away from him right now," Blaine said quietly. "Kurt's my anchor."

"I know, love," Rachel cupped his cheek with her small hand. "It's going to be okay. Even if he can't catch this flight, he'll get the next one."

"Yeah," Blaine smiled sadly.

Rachel rode the subway with him to the airport and waited with him until Kurt came a short time later.

"I'm so sorry it took so long," Kurt waved at them from the short distance between them. Blaine stood up to meet him and Kurt pulled him into a tight, comforting embrace. "I brought your suitcase but unfortunately your flight is full."

"Really?" Blaine's face fell.

"I booked a flight for nine in the morning tomorrow. I'm going to call Belle's school and tell them she's sick tomorrow," Kurt said. "I wish I could come tonight."

"It's okay. I'm just glad you're going to be there at all," Blaine gently kissed him in gratitude. He then turned to Belle, who was beside Kurt. Kneeling in front of her, he said, "I'll see you tomorrow, sweetie, okay?"

"Okay," Belle flung her arms around his neck. "I love you, daddy."

"I love you too," Blaine kissed her forehead. "Be good for your dad tonight."

"I will," she gave him a thumbs up.

He then turned to Rachel and gave her a hug. "I'll see you in a few days. I love you."

"I love you too," Rachel replied.

Blaine felt Kurt grasp his hand and pull his arm. Kurt wrapped him in another warm hug and said, "Call me when you get there so I know you made it safely."

"I will," Blaine sighed, already dreading the idea of being separated from Kurt.

Before the goodbye could get any more painful, Blaine grabbed his suitcase and headed toward security.

* * *

The front door opened to Pam Anderson, who immediately gave her son a tight hug. "Hi, honey, how are you?"

"I'm okay," Blaine replied, following her into the house. "Is Cooper here?"

"Yeah, he's in the shower," Pam took his hand and led him into the kitchen. "It's been a long few days. I'll be glad when it's all over."

"Me too," Blaine admitted, sitting at the kitchen table. "It's just hard to believe, you know?" He watched his mother pour a cup of coffee and asked something that had been on his mind. "How did it happen?"

Pam dropped the mug of coffee and quickly rushed to get the dustpan and broom. "I'd rather not discuss it."

"He has a right to know," Cooper entered the room and clapped a hand on his brother's back. "Good to see you, B."

"Hey, Coop," Blaine smiled weakly.

"Tell him," Cooper sat down across from Blaine. "If you don't, I will."

"All right..." Pam took a deep breath. "He... he over-dosed. The police speculate that it might not have been an accident."

"Wait... What?" Blaine's mouth fell open. "I thought maybe there was an accident or... or... I don't know. Why would he...?"

"I don't know, honey," Pam shrugged. "He's been very... depressed for a long time. I never told you that I started staying with my mom again... I came to see him once and a while but most of the time he's drunk or just aggressive and angry."

"I didn't know," Blaine shook his head.

"That's because we don't talk about him, just like he never wanted to talk about you," Pam set a new cup of coffee in front of Blaine.

"Oh," Blaine glanced down at his cup of coffee. A wave of nausea rushed over him and he left the room and went up to his old bedroom. It was now an office with no trace left of Blaine.

A knock came on the door and Cooper came in. "Look, B, it sucks, I know."

"You don't have a clue, Coop," Blaine said harshly. "You chose to give him up. He didn't want me. He hated me for who I was and he was never going to accept me."

"What if he regretted his decision?" Cooper shot back. "What if he wanted to fix things with you?"

"He damn well should have tried harder to show it," Blaine said, balling his hands into fists. "Half the time, I feel guilty for letting things fall to shit and other times I remember that they only turned out that way because he was an ass that couldn't accept me for who I was. He could have changed his mind the last seven years and he never did."

"You have a lot of emotions right now and you don't know how to deal with it," Cooper walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay to be angry with him, B. He was a dick to you."

"Then why do I feel so terrible?" Blaine sighed.

"Because people tend to feel guilty when someone dies," Cooper told him. "Blaine, there was nothing you could have done to change his mind."

"Unless I broke up with Kurt and told him the whole thing was a joke," Blaine rolled his eyes.

"I don't think he would have believed you," Cooper replied. Placing both hands on Blaine's shoulder, Cooper said, "Don't worry so much, okay?"

"Yeah," Blaine said quietly.

He went to bed with a busy mind that night. Blaine slept on the couch and stared at the ceiling for hours. Part of him knew Cooper was right but the other part of him couldn't help but still feel guilty.

Around five that morning, he shot Kurt a text message.

_(5:03) Blaine: I miss you like crazy. I can't wait for you to get here._

_(5:08) Kurt: It hasn't even been 12 hours... Why are you up so early anyway?_

_(5:09) Blaine: Couldn't sleep._

_(5:09) What's your excuse?_

_(5:10) Kurt: Pre-flight jitters. I started packing an hour ago... Gonna get Belle up soon. Prepared to deal with an overly-tired seven year old._

_(5:12) Blaine: Don't let her win. At anything._

_(5:13) Kurt: Lol. I always win. :)_

_(5:14) Try to get some some sleep, okay?"_

_(5:17) Blaine: okay. Love you._

He set his phone down and shuffled into the kitchen. There was no hope for sleep now, so Blaine set out to prepare breakfast for his mother and his brother. It was going to be a difficult day for them so he wanted to make the most of it.

"Honey, what are you doing?" Pam asked, entering the kitchen some time later.

"I made breakfast," Blaine pointed toward the stove. "I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not," she shook her head. "I just wish you had gotten some sleep. You look terrible."

"Thanks," Blaine nodded, flipping over a pancake. "Really, I'm okay."

"Are you prepared to greet everyone at the funeral home today?" Pam gently rubbed circles on his back.

He shrugged, "I don't really have a choice, do I?" Blaine set down a spatula. Turning to face his mother, Blaine added, "Do you realize that most of our family hasn't talked to me in a long time. I don't think grandma's spoken to me since dad kicked me out."

Giving him a weak smile, Pam said, "everything's going to be fine, sweetie. I promise."

* * *

The funeral home was quiet when the Anderson family arrived. They were greeted by a man named Phil, who told them he was very sorry for their loss. "If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask," he added, shaking Blaine's hand.

When Phil walked away, Cooper made his way over to the casket. Blaine flinched at the idea and turned to face his mom. "I don't think I can do this," he said gruffly. His own voice sounding distant.

Pam placed her hands on his shoulder and said, "Trust me, you can do this."

"Hmm," he turned away and sat down on a chair, burying his face in his hands. More than anything, he just wanted Kurt to arrive. Kurt had mentioned in a text that his flight had been delayed but he'd be there as soon as he could.

Guests started to arrive and Blaine returned to his feet to greet his family friends, and people he didn't know. Everyone was very kind and told Blaine what a wonderful man his father has been. In return, Blaine hardly spoke more than three words to anyone.

"Cooper, Blaine," Michael's mother greeted them. She shook fheir hands in a formal way, before motioning to the man next to her. "Do you remember your Uncle Timothy?"

"Oh yeah," Cooper shook Tim's hand. "It's been a long time. Good to see you."

"I don't really remember you but it's nice to see you," Blaine offered a hand and Timothy simply turned his chin up and ignored the gesture. Clearly Michael's opinion of Blaine had spread.

"So what are you two up to nowadays?" Their grandmother asked.

"Well, Grandma Patty, I just wrapped up filming another movie. I really think this one's going to be huge," Cooper explained. "But now that it's over, I gotta find another role."

"Still in show biz, huh?" Patty huffed. "What a shame. You could have been great at something."

"I'm nominated for an Oscar. I think that qualifies as being good at something," Cooper said defensively.

"Huh," Patty turned to her younger grandson. "And what about you? I hear your a gay nurse or something."

"Musical therapist," Blaine corrected.

"So you play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to a bunch of misfits all day. Why couldn't you be a real doctor?" Patty began digging through her purse.

"I am a real doctor," Blaine said proudly. "I make a difference to these kids."

"And your still with that she-man?" Patty asked.

Growing agitated, Blaine balled his hands into fists and said, "My husband and I are happily married If that's what you meant to say."

"Shame he's not here," Patty rolled her eyes.

"Kurt and Belle will be here as soon as they can," Blaine said flatly. He turned to walk away and ran into one of Michael's co-workers. "Excuse me," he quickly dodged by him and found Pam. "How long do we have to stay here for?" he whispered.

"Behave yourself," she snapped, before turning to the man next to her.

Half an hour later, Blaine was in a discussion with one of his cousins when she asked, "Who's that?" She pointed toward the door.

"Kurt," a smile spread across Blaine's lips for the first time that day. "Excuse me," he said to his cousin before hurrying toward his husband and meeting his lips. He then picked Belle up and gave her a hug. "I missed you," he said quietly.

"Daddy, you just saw me yesterday," Belle chuckled.

"Is this your little girl?" His cousin Jill followed him over there. "She is so cute."

"Thanks," Kurt offered.

"You must be Blaine's husband. I've been so curious about your family, Blaine," Jill smiled. "I'm Jill. His Uncle Tim's daughter."

"Nice to meet you," Kurt shook her hand.

"It's nice that you could be here for Blaine," Jill replied.

"We're cleaning out my dad's house this next week, and I really didn't want to spend the week without Kurt and Belle," Blaine told her.

"we had to take time off work and school but we've been needing a trip home anyway," Kurt said.

"And a break from Macy and Danielle," Belle added, as Blaine set her on the ground once more.

After a few more moments, Blaine suggested that they leave. "I just can't handle being here anymore. Can we go somewhere?"

"Was it really so bad?" Kurt asked, when they left the funeral home and made their way to the car Kurt was renting for the week.

"Awful. I have the worst relatives," Blaine made a face. He climbed into the passenger seat and didn't say another word until they were back at the house.

"Well, I want to drive up to Lima to see my dad and Carole this weekend. Is that okay?" Kurt started the conversation.

"Of course," Blaine said. "Actually, let's just go now. I'm not going to the funeral tomorrow. My dad's relatives reminded me why I hated him so much. I don't want to be there."

Kurt's eyes shifted to the rear view mirror to find Belle asleep in the back seat. "Sweetie, you're going to regret missing the funeral if you don't go."

"I don't really care at this point," Blaine replied. "My father made me feel worthless and I'm not about to go kiss him goodbye with a bunch of people that don't give a shit about me."

"What about your mom and Cooper?" Kurt asked. "Don't you think they'll want you there?"

"They'll have me all week," Blaine muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You're sure about this?" Kurt gently placed his hand on Blaine's. "I just want to do what's best for you. I can't make you go."

"Then take me to Lima," Blaine replied, as Kurt shifted the car into drive once more and sped toward their next destination.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hi guys! So I know we haven't gotten into the main plot yet but I promise you that we're about to. Things are about to get more interesting. I just had to build up to it but stay tuned. There's so much more ahead! :)**


	4. Week 4 - Turning Tables

"There's my favorite ballerina!" Burt Hummel exclaimed when they arrived at their house. Belle leapt into his arms and he twirled her in a circle. "My goodness, you are getting so big."

"Thanks," Belle kissed him. "I missed you and grandma." She gave him another hug, resting her head on his shoulder..

"We missed you too," Carole said, coming over to give her a hug. "And your dads," she added, giving Kurt and Blaine a hug.

"We missed you too, mom," Kurt smiled, knowing how happy it made Carole when he called her that.

"What are you guys doing here? This was such a lovely surprise," Carole kissed Blaine on the cheek. "We weren't expecting to see you until Christmas."

"Oh..." Kurt hesitated. "Blaine's dad passed away a few days ago, so we were down here for the funeral and to pack up the house. We had time and decided to stop by to see you."

"I'm so sorry, Blaine," Burt said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "I know you two weren't close but I'm sure it's still hard for you."

Feeling his stomach lurch, Blaine nodded, "Thanks, Burt." He hated talking about it.

"When's the funeral?" Carole asked quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

"Tomorrow but I'm not going," Blaine said, shifting uncomfortably. "I'd rather be here with you guys."

"Is that a good idea?" Burt asked. He removed his baseball cap, running a hand over his head before returning the cap. "I mean, it's your dad's funeral. You might regret that decision later."

"It's an important part of saying goodbye," Carole added.

"I know that, okay?" Blaine said, feeling his temper rise. "I don't need to be lectured about it." He turned on his heel and stormed into the kitchen and through the back door. He found a two-seater swing on the back patio and sat down, burying his face in his hands.

With no surprise to Blaine, Kurt followed him and sat on the swing next to him. "I wish there was something I could do to make this easier for you but I know there's not," he said quietly.

Blaine stared down at his hands, "I just don't need to be told that it's a mistake. I know it's a mistake. That doesn't mean I want to do it. I can't face it. Today was hard enough."

Wrapping his arm around Blaine's shoulder, Kurt pulled him close and Blaine curled into his side. Kurt ran a hand up and down Blaine's arm and said, "I just can't imagine missing a funeral, you know? My mom's was so hard to face but it was something I knew I had to do."

"That's totally different," Blaine rolled his eyes. He had been on edge since he had arrived in Ohio and he hated that his anger was turning on Kurt. But the truth was that Kurt couldn't understand his situation and he was trying to act like he knew how it felt.

"Do you know how hard it was for me to lose my mom?" Kurt's hand stopped moving and his body tensed. "I was so young but I couldn't imagine missing her funeral."

Blaine sat up and stared at Kurt with wide eyes, "Okay but you had a healthy relationship with your mom. Kurt, you saw how much my dad tore me apart." Blaine rose from the bench and said, "I just don't want to talk about it anymore, okay? I want to forget about him this weekend."

"It's not something to forget about. You're obviously hurting about this and I think you need closure," Kurt stood up and placed his hands on his hips. "I just want what's best for you."

"My dad was nothing but an asshole. I 'm just happy to be away from the son of a bitch," Blaine narrowed his eyes. "Skipping the funeral would make me happy."

Kurt's icy blue eyes were full of concern, and Blaine knew it was because he was so full of anger. Blaine wasn't in the mood to let Kurt worry about him. "You're never going to understand. We're not discussing this anymore."

"Blaine, please, just talk to me," Kurt pleaded.

"I'd rather not," Blaine turned on his heel and stormed back into the house and shut himself in the bathroom. Splashing cold water on his face, he leaned against the sink and took several deep breaths.

It wasn't fair. None of it was fair. He had given up his entire relationship with his father to find happiness. He had been so happy with Kurt the last few years. So why was he feeling so much regret and emptiness now that his father was gone? It didn't make a difference. He hadn't spoken to him in years.

When Blaine was calm enough, he joined Kurt's family in the living room. Sitting beside Belle on the couch, Blaine avoided Kurt's gaze.

Carole prepared a delicious meal that evening and then the family played Monopoly together. Blaine picked up a book and acted more interested in it to avoid playing, but he knew Kurt was stealing worried glances in his direction.

Around nine-thirty, Blaine offered to take Belle up to the guest bedroom and tuck her in. He sat on the edge of the bed while she brushed her teeth in the bathroom.

When she came back in, she stopped at the night stand and picked up a framed picture of someone Blaine never knew. "This is Uncle Finn, right?" Every time they stayed with the Hummels, Belle stayed in his old bedroom and asked questions about him.

"Yes," Blaine nodded. "Your dad's brother."

"I thought brothers were supposed to look alike," Belle said, tracing Finn's jawline with her small finger.

"Not always," Blaine shrugged. There was no reason to explain that Finn wasn't biologically Kurt's brother. "Uncle Cooper and I don't look very much alike."

"True," she nodded, setting Finn's picture down. Climbing in bed, she yawned. "I wish I knew Uncle Finn. I love watching those old home movies of him with grandma. He was so funny."

"I'm sure she likes that too," Blaine pulled the covers over her and kissed her forehead.

"Can I ask you a question?" Belle asked. "Am I ever gonna lose you the way you lost your dad or dad lost his mom and Uncle Finn?"

Feeling his heart break slightly, Blaine climbed into bed next to Belle and brushed hair off her face. "I can't make that kind of promise. I wish I could say no but life's unpredictable. We never know when our time is coming."

"Oh," Belle said quietly, taking his hand in her little hands. "I never want to lose you because I love you very much."

Kissing her forehead again, Blaine pulled his daughter close and said, "I love you too... I know it's a scary thought but I promise to love you and take care of you as long as I am around."

"Good," Belle smiled sweetly, closing her eyes and nuzzling her face in his chest.

Blaine held her tightly, as tears stung his eyes. The thought of his daughter ever feeling the pain that he felt the last few days was almost unbearable. He gently stroked her forehead until her breathing slowed and her body went limp.

He heard the bedroom door open and soft footsteps move toward the bed. Blaine wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone, so he closed his eyes and faked sleep. He heard Kurt give a soft "aw," before he placed the blanket at the foot of the bed over Blaine and gently kissed the top of his head, before he turned the light off and left the room.

Sighing heavily, Blaine squeezed Belle tightly and stared at the window across the room, hoping he would finally get some sleep.

* * *

The choir room at William McKinley High School was buzzing with excited students. Seven girls sat together dressed in the same powdered blue dress, while five boys sat opposite them in red pants and black shirts.

"Okay, everyone, let's begin our competition," Will Schuester entered the room, clapping his hands together. He stopped by the piano and added, "I don't believe my eyes... Kurt Hummel? It's so good to see you!" He approached Kurt and gave him a hug.

"You too," Kurt smiled. Gesturing to Blaine, he added, "You remember my husband, Blaine."

"Hi," Blaine shook Will's hand firmly.

"Welcome," Will smiled. "We are going against each other as boys versus girls in a friendly competition. Winner gets to sing their song at Regionals.."

"How original," Kurt chuckled. "Well, I hope the girls win," He took Blaine's hand and led him to the back of the choir room and sat down.

The performances unfolded and Blaine was very impressed with this group of kids. They were all very talented. And in the end, the girls did win with a Kelly Clarkson song.

"Do you mind if we slip into the auditorium for a while?" Kurt asked Will at the end of glee club rehearsal, while the kids filed out of the choir room.

"Please do," Will nodded.

Letting Kurt lead him down the hall, Blaine followed him into the empty auditorium. Their footsteps echoed through the room before Kurt stopped in the middle of the stage.

"What are we doing here?" Blaine asked, glancing around the stage.

"This used to be my favorite place. Whenever I felt alone or just needed to let my feelings out, I came in here," Kurt took Blaine's hands in his. "Do you remember when we first met and snuck into the Gershwin Theater, because I told you about the time Rachel and I did it?"

"Not knowing you were talking about my current girlfriend," Blaine gave a weak smile at the memory. "And you wanted to sing some song from Wicked."

"Defying Gravity. That happens to be my favorite song from that musical, thank you very much," Kurt snapped.

"Don't you think I know that after being married to you for so long?" Blaine replied, leaning in to kiss Kurt. His hand cupped Kurt's cheek and Kurt's arms wrapped around his shoulder.

"Give it more tongue. That sells passion in these dumb shows," a familiar voice echoed through the auditorium.

"What are you doing here?" Kurt pulled away from Blaine and placed his hands on his hips.

"The better question is: What are you doing here, Porcelain?" She Sylvester stopped near the bottom row of chairs and leaned against one. "You glee kids still act like you go to school here."

"I was just visiting," Kurt answered. "I thought you might miss me."

"No, I don't have the heart to miss anybody," Sue shrugged. "Well, listen, keep it PG, okay? Don't give these weirdos more reason to lock lips than they already do." She turned on her heels and walked back out.

"How did you put up with her for four years?" Blaine shook his head.

Sighing, Kurt walked to the edge of the stage. He sat down and patted the floor next to him for Blaine to follow. "She was cruel, but she was there for me when no one else was."

"Yeah..." Blaine thought back to the stories Kurt had told him about his days of being bullied.

"You know, when I was in high school, I only dreamed of having one of the kids understand what I went through," Kurt continued. "They had all been slushied or had their faces drawn on in the library yearbook..." he paused, staring out into the rows of empty chairs. "But none of them went through what I did. Being tossed in the dumpster every day. Being ridiculed and shoved into lockers. Being kissed and terrified of Karofsky's threat to kill me if anyone knew. I was terrified and people tried to sympathize. 'Oh, I get it, Kurt. Tracy Parks told me I sing like a dying whale.' How dreadful for you, Rachel."

"She would be devastated over that," Blaine shook his head.

"But the worst thing that happened to her was having Jesse St. James cracking an egg over head and that was her fault for believing he loved her," Kurt's voice began to tremble and he gripped the edge of the stage. "I was made fun of for being different, for wearing scarves and singing like a woman... for being gay."

"No one knew how that felt," Blaine reached over and placed a hand on top of his husband's. "I can only relate so far. I had the crap beaten out of me but then I found safety at Dalton."

Bowing his head, Kurt said quietly, "We have an understanding but we can't fully relate." Kurt took a deep breath. "That's the same conclusion Rachel and I came to when Finn died. We both loved him so much but in different ways. She had a broken heart and I lost my brother, someone I viewed as a hero. It was different."

"Why are we going back to this?" Blaine asked. Over the weekend, Blaine had tried to keep his feelings to himself. He had done really well and no one brought up his father anymore. But it didn't mean he wanted to talk about it now.

Turning to face him, Kurt stared into his eyes and said, "ions you, Blaine, with all my heart. I hate seeing you in pain, and I wish I could fix you. I know that I can't fully understand what you're going through because losing my parent was different than this..." Squeezing Blaine's hand, he continued, "But that doesn't stop my feelings toward you. You're at a turning point in your life. Things won't be the same once you leave Ohio. I just want to be here for you and comfort you. It's not going to be easy, and I don't want you to push me away. I've noticed how distant you've been this weekend and it hurts me to see you in pain."

A tear rolled down Kurt's cheek and Blaine reached up to brush it away with his thumb. He cupped Kurt's cheek and said, "I just need time. I'm really lost in my head right now and I just need to figure it all out." He softly touched his lips to Kurt's and told him, "I'm not mad at you. I'm just frustrated with the situation."

"Everyone needs someone to take their anger out on," Kurt replied. He placed his hand on top of Blaine's and whispered, "I'm always going to be here for you."

"And that's why I love you," Blaine deepened the kiss and Kurt wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Willing himself to forget his troubles, Blaine felt himself getting lost in Kurt's kisses.

* * *

Boxes of everything Michael owned had been set aside over the next three days. Blaine, Pam, Cooper, Kurt, and even Belle had taken the time to go through the house and pack it up.

Now that Michael was gone, Pam wanted to get out of the house. She said, "I just want to pack it up and sell it."

On that Thursday, Pam returned to work and Cooper returned to Los Angeles. They both decided it was time to move forward. The house only had a little left, but Blaine volunteered to finish over the next two days. Being at McKinley on Monday, he had missed the first day of clean up.

"I'll come by after work and help out," Pam hugged him goodbye. "You really don't have to do this, you know? I can finish if you want to go home."

"We'll go home Saturday. Kurt and I already took the whole week off, so I want to just get this over with so you don't have to," Blaine replied.

"That's very sweet. Thank you," Pam kissed his cheek. "I'll see you later, okay?"

When the front door shut behind her, Kurt entered the living room and said, "My dad and Carole are coming down for the day. They wanted to see me one more time before we go home."

"Oh... When are they coming?" Blaine asked, slightly disappointed that he had to face the house without Kurt. After their conversation in the auditorium, Blaine tried to rely on Kurt more than push him away. It wasn't easy, because Blaine was so used to shutting down in a bad situation but it was an effort, and he knew it meant a lot to Kurt.

"We're going out for lunch but you can come if you want to," Kurt told him. "Don't drown yourself in boxes."

"No, I think you should have time alone with them," Blaine grabbed his waist and pulled him close. "You had to deal with me all weekend. I'll hang out here with Belle."

"Are you sure?" Kurt asked. His blue eyes holding the same concerned look they had all week. Blaine knew Kurt would drop his plans in a heartbeat if Blaine told him to, but he couldn't do that to Kurt.

Blaine nodded, "I really need to finish up here and Belle can hang back. Maybe we'll have a picnic or something. With all this packing, she's been pretty bored this week."

"You're the best," Kurt kissed him. "I won't be gone too long, I promise."

Kurt helped Blaine work through the morning until Burt and Carole came to pick him up. He had barely shut the door behind him when Blaine felt a pat on his arm.

"Can we have our picnic now?" Belle asked, batting her long eyelashes at him.

"Sure," Blaine smiled. "Go get the blanket off the foot of your bed upstairs and put it on the front porch while I make sandwiches." He moved into the kitchen and dug out the peanut butter, jelly, and bread. After making two sandwiches, Blaine placed them on a tray with a bowl of carrots and a small box of animal crackers.

"Ready?" Belle entered the kitchen. "Should I get juice boxes from the fridge?"

"Please," Blaine waited for her to grab the juice and place it in the tray. He led her to the front porch and set the tray on the ground. Sitting down across from his daughter, Blaine crossed his legs and passed a sandwich to her.

"This is fun," Belle smiled, reaching for a carrot. "Much more fun than packing.

"I used to do this all the time with my mom when I stayed home from school," Blaine explained. "My dad would get after her and say, 'Pamela, he's sick. He needs his rest.' But my mom always said the fresh air would do me more good."

"Who was right?" Belle chuckled.

"My dad but my mom just wanted to spend time with me and that made me happier," Blaine told her. "I've had a lot of memories growing up in this house and it's going to be bittersweet to say goodbye."

"Why?" Belle took a handful of animal crackers and smiled at her father sweetly, so he wouldn't stop her.

Shrugging, Blaine said, "It's complicated. I miss my childhood but things with my dad dying make me want to let it go."

"Oh, "Belle simply said, clearly not understanding. She didn't speak again until she finished her sandwich. "Can I play in the backyard while you clean? I'm bored."

"Yeah, sure," Blaine said, knowing he probably should have let Belle go with Kurt. He couldn't really clean and entertain a seven year old. "But stay in the backyard, okay? Unless you're coming back inside."

"Of course," Belle rolled her eyes, before she took off around the side of the house.

Cleaning up, Blaine took everything back inside and began washing the dishes, before he moved into his dad's study. This was going to be the hardest room to deal with, because Michael had so many files scattered everywhere.

Flopping in the desk chair, Blaine opened the top drawer and sighed, "Might as well start somewhere." Michael had drawers full of papers. Bills, work-related items, receipts, and more papers that Blaine simply tossed in a pile to recycle.

Opening the bottom drawer if the desk, he found a bottle of liquor laying on it's side. It was half empty and Blaine stared at it for a long time. He thought of what spam had said a week ago that he was always drunk or

or aggressive anymore. He was miserable and had over-dosed. Drugs, alcohol, whatever he was into was too much for Blaine to think about. He slammed the drawer and shook his head. He had to focus on the task at hand.

An hour log tedious work went by, when he heard the front door shut and Kurt call out, "Blaine? Belle? Where are you guys?"

"In here," Blaine responded.

"Where's Belle?" Kurt stopped in the doorway, raising his eyebrows.

"Backyard," Blaine replied, shoving a stack of books in a box.

Kurt's footsteps faded and a moment later he was back in the doorway, crossing his arms over his chest, he said, "This backyard?"

"Yeah?" Blaine looked at him curiously from his spot on the floor.

"She didn't go upstairs and take a nap?" Kurt left the room again. His voice hinting that he was slightly annoyed with Blaine's lack of attention toward Belle. He had gotten lost in his thoughts and didn't think much of her playing outside.

Rising to his feet, Blaine called, "I'm telling you that she's outside. I never heard her come in." He opened the back door and scanned the yard. "Belle?" He asked. She didn't respond and Blaine didn't see her. Walking around the side of the house, Blaine checked the front yard before glancing down the street. "Belle?!" he called loudly. Panic began to settle in.

Kurt came outside with fear in his eyes, he stopped at the edge of the porch and firmly said, "She's not inside, Blaine. Where is she?"

Stomach turning, Blaine ran toward the back of the house once more, calling, "Belle?!" He waited. "Annabelle Rachel Hummel, If you're playing hide and seek, this isn't funny. Come out right now."

Heart pounding against his rib age, Blaine realized that he had completely ignored her long enough for her to disappear. He buried his face in his hands and muttered, "Oh shit."

Kurt came out the back foot after checking inside the house again. With trembling hands, he stopping a foot from his husband and said what neither of them wanted to admit, "Blaine, she's not here. Belle's gone."


	5. Week 5 - Separation Anxiety

"Annabelle Hummel. Seven years old. She's about this tall," Kurt placed a hand around the middle of his torso. "Long brown hair with hazel eyes. She usually gets called Belle."

"What was she last seen in?" the police officer asked from behind her desk, writing it all down on paper.

"Um a purple shirt with a unicorn on it and blue jeans," he thought back to earlier that morning when he last saw his daughter. "She had on white sneakers with two pink stripes on the side."

"And when did you last see her?" the woman continued to question.

"At the house," Kurt explained. "I went to lunch with my parents around noon and when I came back at one-thirty, she was gone. Blaine was inside cleaning and he told me she was out in the backyard. I went to look and we couldn't find her. That's when we called for help."

"Blaine is your husband?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Is there any chance that Blaine had something to do with Annabelle's disappearance?" she watched his reaction closely, as she asked this.

"What?" Kurt gaped at the officer. The thought had never even crossed Kurt's mind. "No. Absolutely not. Blaine would never do something like that."

"You're sure?" she continued to watch him closely. Sitting forward, the woman folded her hands on the desk and explained. "You see, Blaine was the last person that we know was with Annabelle before she disappeared. Many people find it hard to believe that there spouse would harm their child but it does happen regardless. So I'm going to ask again: Are you sure there's no chance that Mr. Anderson had something to do with this?"

"I - yes, I'm positive," Kurt replied firmly. "Blaine loves Belle more than anything. Blaine wouldn't hurt a fly."

"All right," she began writing his words down again. "Is there anyone else you can think of that might have been involved?"

No one else could have been involved. Cooper and Pam had been the only ones around the last two weeks, other than Kurt's parents, and they would never do something like that. There was no other explanation. Kurt shook his head, "I have no idea. No one I can think of."

"Thank you, Mr. Hummel. If there's any other information you can share with us, you know where to find us," the officer stood up and guided him out of the room. "You can wait out here for Mr. Anderson."

Sitting down on a bench, Kurt felt his stomach turn. He had been nauseous for the last five hours. The thought of something bad happening to his daughter terrified him. That's why he had yelled at Blaine when they searched the area and realized she was gone...

_"How could you let this happen?" Kurt cried, pulling at his hair. "What the hell were you thinking?"_

_Blaine's jaw dropped, "Let it happen? Kurt, it's not like I woke up this morning and thought 'what can I do to make my life worse than it already is? How about I let someone take my daughter.'"_

_"Well_, _you weren't very responsible!" Kurt shot back. He could feel his heart pounding quickly against his rib cage. "Was it really so hard to keep an eye on her?"_

_"I got caught up in what I was doing, I'm sorry. You have no idea how guilty I feel right now," Blaine told him. "I didn't think she'd disappear like this."_

_"You're_ _right, you didn't think," Kurt said hotly. "Look where that got us."_

_Crossing his arms over his chest, Blaine snapped, "This isn't going to get us anywhere. We need to do something. Look for her, call the police. I don't know."_

_"Fine but this discussion is not over," Kurt stormed back toward the house_.

They hadn't continued their discussion due to the police showing up and investigating the premises. Once they had concluded that Belle wasn't around, they had been escorted to the station. It had been a long evening stuck at the police station since.

Dialing Sam's phone number, Kurt waited for a response. "Please pick up," he mumbled. Nerves running high, Kurt needed something to occupy his racing mind.

"Hello?" Sam's voice came through the phone after the fourth ring.

"Hey, it's Kurt. Are you with Rachel?" Kurt couldn't stop himself from asking.

"No, I stayed late at school to talk to the parents of one of my students and get some papers graded without distraction. Why? Should I be with her? Is she okay?" Sam pressed, speaking faster as he talked.

"No, no, Sam, I'm sure Rachel's fine," Kurt interrupted. He hesitated, glancing around the busy room. "I actually need to tell you something that I don't think she should know yet."

"Okay..." Sam said slowly. "What's up?"

"Blaine and I are at the police station in Westerville right now," he started.

Before he could say anything else, Sam jumped in, "Woah, wait. Why? What happened? Is everything okay?"

Closing his eyes, Kurt took a deep breath, when he spoke, it all came tumbling out in a fast pace, "Belle went missing this afternoon, Blaine was alone with her. He was packing at his dad's house and she went to the backyard to play and that was the last he saw her. I came back and she was gone.."

There was a pause before a response. "Holy crap. Are you serious?" Sam's tone became more serious. He had a very strong relationship with Belle and Kurt knew this would be hard on him.

"I wouldn't joke about that, Sam," Kurt told his friend. "But listen, don't tell Rachel yet. Given the circumstances, I don't want to stress her out too much."

"Belle's her daughter. Don't you think Rachel has a right to know?" Sam pointed out. "Eventually she'll figure it out when you come home without her."

"I'm hoping it's not going to take that long," Kurt said. "We were supposed to leave on Saturday but if she's not found, I don't know what we're going to do," Kurt let out a long sigh. He placed his hand over his forehead and pleaded, "Just give me a couple days to find a way to tell her. Hopefully Belle won't be gone that long. Please, Sam. I'm just not ready yet."

"I'm supposed to keep this huge secret from my girlfriend?" Sam sounded more on edge now. "Look, Kurt, I really think she should know the truth."

"I do too but at the right time," Kurt said what had been on his mind for hours. "I don't want her stressing out too much and... something happening to the baby. We've already had a horrible couple of weeks."

"Dude, they can't even fully confirm she's pregnant until she goes in for an appointment," Sam reminded him. "I know you'd like to think this surrogacy thing is working but right now, she needs to deal with her daughter that she knows exists."

Resorting to begging, Kurt felt tears sting his eyes. He fought to keep them from falling and pleaded, "Sam, please. Just a few days. I need some sort of reassurance and I can't worry about the baby too."

Silence filled his end of the line. Sam didn't say anything for a long moment. When he did speak, it was short and to the point, "Fine, give it a few days. But if you don't tell her in the next week, I will."

"That sounds fair. Thank you," Kurt felt relief wash over him. "I'll call you as soon as I know more."

"Sure," Sam said. "And Kurt?"

"Yes?"

"Keep an eye on Blaine. Losing his dad was hard enough. Who knows what this will do to him, look after him, okay?" Sam's tone softened.

"Always," Kurt said quietly, just as Blaine was led out of the room he was in by an officer. "I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, Kurt," Sam ended the call.

Pocketing his phone, Kurt rose from the bench and approached Blaine with caution. "Are we free to go?" he asked the officer.

"Yes, we'll be in touch with you," he replied. "Thank you for your time, gentlemen."

When the officer walked away, Blaine bowed his head and bit his lip nervously. His face was pale and he looked frightened. "I really am sorry, Kurt," he whispered.

Stepping forward, Kurt placed his hand under Blaine's chin and lifted his face to meet his gaze. The look in Blaine's eyes was enough to make Kurt's anger fade away. "I know you are and I'm sorry I yelled at you. I was just really scared," Kurt said quietly.

"I'm still really scared," Blaine's voice cracked and he scrunched up his face against the tears that began rolling down his cheeks.

Pulling his small frame into a tight embrace, Kurt soothingly rubbed Blaine's back and said, "Me too, sweetie. Me too."

* * *

**(5:56) Rachel:** _Hey, babe! I thought you guys were supposed to come home Saturday. I just went to your apartment, thinking you'd be home from work and you aren't here. What's up?_

**(6:02) Kurt:** _Blaine wasn't ready to come home yet, so we took a few more days off._

**(6:04) Rachel:** _I didn't know he was going to take this so hard... When will you be home? I was so excited to tell you something today._

**(6:07) Kurt:**_ What's that?_

**(6:08) Rachel:**_ I've been really nauseous the last two days! ...Okay, that may not sound thrilling to some people but it gives me hope about my doctor appointment next week!_

**(6:14) Kurt**_: Have you taken a home pregnancy test?_

**(6:16) Rachel:**_ No... I was waiting for you and Blaine. When are you coming home?_

**(6:44) Kurt:**_ Not sure. End of the week, I guess._

**(6:45) Rachel**_: Oh... Okay._

Sighing Kurt set his phone down and buried his face in his hands. He knew he had to tell his best friend that her daughter had been missing for four days but it was a delicate topic and he didn't know how to break it to her.

"Hi," Blaine walked in through the front door and set down a bag of groceries on the kitchen counter.

"Hey," Kurt smiled weakly. He had done his best to be strong for Blaine the last few days but it hadn't been easy. Blaine had been through the death of his estranged father and the disappearance of his only child in the span of two weeks. He was on the verge of breaking and Kurt didn't even know how to carry on a conversation with him.

"I stopped by the store," Blaine said.

"Okay," Kurt walked over and kissed his cheek. Blaine cringed slightly and Kurt raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

"I got a call from the police station a while ago. They want me to come down for more questioning tomorrow," Blaine rolled his eyes. To Kurt, it meant that Blaine was trying to pass it off as nothing but he couldn't hide the fear in his eyes.

"Why?" Kurt asked, reaching for Blaine's hand and squeezing it tightly.

He shrugged, "I guess it's suspicious that she disappeared while I was alone with her." He bit his lip and yanked his hand from Kurt's grasp. He strolled to the other side of the kitchen and leaned against the counter. Bowing his head, Blaine's voice cracked as he said, "Like this hasn't been hard enough, you know? Now I'm being accused of doing this. I didn't want this. I never wanted anything bad to happen to her."

Kurt rushed to him and wrapped his arms around him. A sob escaped Blaine's throat and he clung to Kurt tightly. "Shh. I know. I know. It's not easy... I'm right here. It's okay."

"I just miss her so much," Blaine cried. He buried his face in Kurt's shoulder and his sound was muffled. "I would never do anything to hurt her. I didn't mean to ignore her. I just feel so damn guilty."

Pulling back, Kurt took Blaine's face in his hands and brushed a tear away with his thumb. "I know you wouldn't, sweetie. It's just a precaution they have to take." The broken expression on Blaine's face caused tears to sting Kurt's eyes. He blinked furiously, determined to be strong for his husband.

"What if they decide I did something wrong?" Blaine said quietly. "I can't sit in jail."

"They aren't going to come to that conclusion because you didn't do anything wrong," Kurt reassured him. He stroked Blaine's cheek with his thumb. "Belle could be anywhere. We just have to take this one day at a time."

"Okay," Blaine whispered, nodding.

Gently kissing Blaine, Kurt felt Blaine's body relax at his touch. Blaine deepened the kiss, his hand sliding into Kurt's hair. "Take my mind off of it, please," he said quietly.

"Blaine," Kurt said firmly, placing his hand on Blaine's chest to push him back slightly. "We can't just avoid the problem."

"But you said take it one day at a time," Blaine whined.

"I know," Kurt shook his head. "But I wanted to address the issue of going home."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Blaine narrowed his eyes at this.

"I mean, we can't stay in your parents' house forever. We have jobs to go back to and - "

"Stop!" Blaine almost shouted. He took several steps backward and said, "How could you even think about leaving when Belle is missing?"

"Because we aren't just going to find her wandering on the street. This is a job for the police," Kurt shot back. "What are we going to do here? Sit and stare at the walls until we go crazy with worry?"

"I'll get a job down here! I'm sure the hospital has something available," Blaine tossed his hands up in the air in frustration. "We've been in New York for so long. Maybe we need a change."

"And what about my position at Vogue? Am I supposed to throw that away because you now think our life has gotten stale?" Kurt placed his hands on his hips. "I love my job, Blaine."

"I like my job too but my daughter is more important to me. I can't leave her behind," Blaine turned on his heel and went toward the stairs.

Kurt followed, "You don't even know that she's in the city. What if someone kidnapped her and took off? She could be in Indiana or Alabama or -"

"Stop it!" Blaine hollered from the third step, banging his fist on the railing of the staircase. "Why do you insist on talking like that?"

"Because it could happen! We can't just assume she's happy and healthy. If she turned up dead tomorrow, I'd at least have the understanding that it was a possibility," Kurt shouted. "Why delude yourself to believing she's fine? No one took her to hand her toys and treats."

Blaine's tone was strained, "I never said Belle was fine, but that doesn't mean I want to think about her lying somewhere in a ditch either. I'm already going crazy, Kurt. Thinking about it only makes me crazier,"

"But staying here isn't going to make her come back any sooner," Kurt argued.

Running his hands through his hair, Blaine groaned loudly, "Ughh. I know that. But she was last with us here. If she comes looking for us, Belle would look for us here."

"She's seven. It's not like she knows the address here. If Belle could tell an authority figure where to find us, she'd tell them our home address," Kurt reminded him.

Coming down a step, Blaine said, "I just feel better about being down here, okay? If you want to go back to New York, do it. I'm not leaving."

"Blaine, I can't just stay here," Kurt protested. "What about Rachel and the baby? She has a doctor appointment next week to make sure our plan worked. I can't be away from her and my job and everything I've known for the last eight years."

"And I can't be away from Belle. I'm sorry you don't feel the same way," Blaine trudged down the few steps he had climbed and whipped the front door open.

"Belle's not here! Don't you understand that?" Kurt cried in exasperation. He was no longer able to hold back his tears. "She's gone, Blaine. She's gone and we might not get her back."

Shaking his head violently, Blaine hissed, "I really thought you'd be the one person to understand this but I guess I was wrong." He turned on his heel and slammed the door behind him.

"Blaine!" Kurt cried after him. He felt his legs tremble beneath him and sank to the bottom stair. Leaning against the railing, Kurt let out the emotions that had been building up for days.

He had already lost his child. The last thing Kurt needed was to be separated from his husband too.

* * *

Pam came home from work an hour later. She found Kurt still seated on the bottom stair in a daze. "Honey, what are you doing?" she sat down on the step next to him.

"Blaine and I had a fight and I just haven't had the energy to get up. I'm so emotionally drained," he told her. "I just don't know what to do."

"Come with me. I know what will clear your mind," Pam took his hand and led him into the kitchen. Since the three of them were staying in the house, the kitchen had yet to be torn apart and packed away. She began pulling things out of the cupboard and setting up a makeshift bakery on the island. "Tell me about your troubles while we bake some cookies."

The next two hours were dedicated to baking. It took Kurt back to his childhood, when he used to bake with his mother. It took his mind off of the events from the last two weeks. He told Pam about the situation with Blaine and going back to New York.

"Follow your heart," Pam told him. "There's not really a right or wrong answer. I think you both make good points." The advice did nothing to ease Kurt's mind.

When they had finished baking, Pam went to bed and Kurt sat in the living room with a magazine. He was growing worried about Blaine and decided to wait for him.

Another hour passed before Blaine stumbled in. His eyes were unfocused and he looked unsteady on his feet. "Oh, you're up," he mumbled.

"And you're drunk," Kurt commented, setting his magazine on the couch. "Is that all you've done for the last three hours? Drink your problems away."

"I knew if I stayed, you were gonna keep yelling at me," Blaine slurred.

"Right because it's all my fault," Kurt rolled his eyes. "Forget I waited up for you." He clambered off the couch and turned to the stairs.

"No, wait," Blaine grabbed his arm in a tight grip. "I was going to tell you that I'm not me... I mean, I am me but I'm not... I'm not me... myself."

"I'd rather have this conversation sober," Kurt shoved his hand away.

"Kurt, come on. Just listen," Blaine seized his wrist. "I'm just a mess."

"I can see that," Kurt said flatly, grabbing Blaine's hand and removing it from his wrist.

"I just don't know what I'm doing, okay?" Blaine said. "I've never had a kid missing before."

The corner of Kurt's mouth twitched. "I know you haven't. Neither have I. This is territory that many parents never reach." He grabbed Blaine by the shoulders and led him to the couch. "We'll talk about this when you're sober. Get some sleep."

"Okay," Blaine replied, as Kurt placed a blanket over him. "Can I sleep with you?"

"Not tonight. You're sensitive and horny when you're drunk and I'm not in the mood for that tonight," Kurt bent down to kiss his forehead. "Good night."

"Night," Blaine mumbled.

* * *

Staring at the picture frame in his hand, Kurt freely let the tears roll down his cheeks. Without Blaine around, it was harder to hold himself together.

When Blaine had woken up with a hangover the next morning, he refused to talk about their argument from the night before. Apparently "I'm a mess" was no longer his excuse. He stood his ground that Kurt was wrong and that was it.

Feeling like he couldn't breath after the continuous tension, Kurt took a drive that led him to Lima. Once there, he decided to stay to give Blaine a little space to clear his mind. .

Here he was two days later feeling incomplete without Blaine...

He didn't know how long he sat in his late step-brothers room that Thursday afternoon before someone interrupted him.

"Kurt?" A soft knock came on the door. Carole poked her head in. "Blaine's here."

"Great," Kurt sighed. As much as he missed Blaine, Kurt wasn't sure he was ready to face him again. It meant facing reality.

"Hi," Blaine entered the room and sat on the bed next to him. He sat there a moment, before he said conversationally, "That's a good picture of Finn,"

"I miss him," Kurt admitted. He stared at Finn's crooked smile and his lip quivered. "You know, when my mom died, I thought there was no feeling worse than that... And then Finn died and it was heart breaking to see someone so young go before they even got to live... But seeing a girl twelve years younger than Finn was, a girl I love more than anything disappear... to think I could lose her..." he trailed off. Setting Finn's picture back on the night stand, he closed his eyes.

"That's the worst feeling, I know," Blaine said quietly. He placed his hand on top of Kurt's and said, "I didn't think things could get worse after my dad died and I was proven wrong... I've been a terrible mess, Kurt, and I'm really sorry."

Sighing, Kurt placed his free hand on top of Blaine's, "Well, I'm sorry too. I haven't been fair to you. I know you've been dealing with more than me."

"I just want to get through this with you," Blaine admitted. "It's just hard. You know I tend to shut down when I'm upset... But then you left and I realized I needed you."

"I'm just tired of this. We need to make a decision. What are we going to do?" Kurt asked.

"I don't know," Blaine shrugged.

"We can't be in two places at once," Kurt shook his head. He turned his body to face Blaine. "I know how hard it is to think about being further away from Belle, but we have a life in New York. We can't just put our lives on hold. Belle could be missing for six years or sixteen years. We can't stare at these walls for that long."

"It's only been a few days. It's still fresh, you know?" Blaine said quietly. "I just keep hoping she's going to show up at the door and admit that she was just playing hide and seek... I think that's why I'm afraid of leaving."

"That's my problem. I need to keep busy. I need something to take my mind off of it. If Belle is all I can think about, I might go crazy," Kurt told him. "That's why I need to get back into a routine."

Sighing, Blaine ran a hand through his hair and said, "So what do we do?"

"If you need time, you can stay. I can't make you come home if you aren't ready," Kurt stated. "But I can't just sit here and wait for her to walk through the door. It's not going to be that easy."

"I just hate the thought of being separated from you. You're my anchor," Blaine said quietly. "The last couple days were already hell."

Leaning forward, Kurt pressed his forehead to Blaine's and stared into his sad, hazel eyes. "It's gonna be okay. You can always come home or I can come here if you really need me to."

"Okay," Blaine whispered.

"But please don't drive yourself crazy, okay?" Kurt pulled back to look at him better.

"No, I know. And I'm sure the hospital won't give me too much more time off. I just... I'm not ready to face it yet. I'm not ready to face those kids or our empty apartment."

He wasn't going to admit that facing the apartment and Belle's empty room was a chilling thought, so Kurt simply said, "I understand."

"I'll be right behind you. I just need a couple more days," Blaine frowned. "You're sure this is the right decision for us?"

Kurt shrugged, "I'm not sure of anything anymore."


	6. Week 6 - Empty Space

In the middle of the airport, Kurt and Blaine embraced each other tightly. The rushing crowd around them passed by in a blur and neither seemed to notice. The thought of being separated was enough to make both men dread Kurt's departure.

"Call me as soon as you land," Blaine's voice was muffled against his shoulder. "I need to know that you made it safely."

"I'll be fine," Kurt finally pulled back to see his face. "How many times have we made this trip? It's not a long trip at all."

Blaine smiled weakly, "I know. My nerves are just on edge." His lip quivered and he scrunched up his face to stop himself from crying. "I'm just going to miss you so much."

"I'm going to miss you too," Kurt pulled him into another hug. "Don't stay too much longer." He released his tight grip on Blaine and forcefully kissed him, feeling a hunger to kiss him endlessly.

Blaine pulled back suddenly with wide eyes and said, "I can't take much more. I'm gonna end up dragging you back to the house with me."

"That's okay... I should get going. Who knows how long security will take," he gave Blaine one final peck. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Blaine replied quietly. The broken expression on his face tore Kurt apart and he so desperately wanted to drag Blaine with him.

Grabbing his suitcase, Kurt headed toward security. He stopped long enough to watch Blaine head back toward the front door before he got in line. Blaine hadn't glanced back at all and Kurt quickly looked away when Blaine disappeared.

Once the plane had taken off, Kurt began to feel empty inside. After all, he had flown to Ohio with Belle. Going home without her in the seat next to him, It felt like he really was leaving her behind. That's when he realized why Blaine had such a hard time coming to terms with leaving.

Sighing heavily, Kurt stared out the window and scanned the ground, wondering if his daughter was somewhere below...

It was hard to believe that Belle had only been missing for a week. It felt like an eternity to him. Kurt missed the sound of her laughter. He missed her curiosity and her practicing ballet moves or the songs Blaine taught her on the piano. At this point, Kurt even missed helping Belle with her homework. It was hard to believe how much Belle occupied his life until it seemed empty without her.

When he reached the still apartment, Kurt went straight to Belle's room and sat down on her bed. Her purple Disney Princess comforter had been perfectly placed on top of the bed. No doubt Blaine's work. The night Blaine left for Ohio, Belle had slept in Kurt's room with him. Kurt continued to soak in his daughter's room. Her dresser was full of figurines of horses and ballerinas. But the thing that brought Kurt to tears was the picture Belle had on her night stand of their family. Belle sat on Blaine's lap with Kurt and Rachel placed on either side of them. They had taken the picture in Central Park in front of a fountain.

"Belle," Kurt whispered. His fingertips brushed across her face and he felt tears sting his eyes. He clutched the picture frame close to his chest and fell back on to the bed. He rolled on to his side and curled into a ball. A sob escaped his throat and Kurt buried his face in Belle's pillow. Her scent lingering in the material. His sobs wracked his body. For the last week, Kurt had been holding his emotions in, but with no one around, he stayed there until he cried himself to sleep.

His phone began to ring, causing Kurt to jump from his sleep. He had no idea how long he had slept for. Groggily, he slowly sat up and took time to adjust to his surroundings. He set the picture frame on the bed next to him and answered weakly, "H-hello?"

"Hey, are you okay?" Blaine's voice was full of concern. "You sound... off."

"Yeah," Kurt cleared his throat. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just tired, sorry."

"I called to make sure you landed. I never heard from you," Blaine told him. He waited and when Kurt didn't say anything, Blaine asked, "Are you home?"

"Yeah," Kurt pulled himself out of his daze. He cleared his throat again, still hearing the raspy sound in his voice from sleep. "Yeah, I got home a while ago. I'm sorry I didn't call."

"It's fine. I told you I was gonna worry regardless... I'm sure you needed to collect yourself first. It's gotta be overwhelming," Blaine reassured him. Again, Kurt didn't say anything for fear of breaking down again. He heard Blaine quietly say, "Pretty silent there, huh?"

"Yeah," Kurt whispered. He rose from Belle's bed and moved to the living room. He shut the door behind him with no intention of going in there again. "And I miss you."

There was silence on Blaine's end.

"Blaine?"

"I miss you too. I just... I don't know what to do," Blaine admitted. "I knew going home would be hard for you but going with you would have been hard too."

"It's okay. If you're not ready, take your time," Kurt tried to sound stronger than he felt. "I'm okay here. Once I get back to work, I'll have something to keep my mind busy."

"Yeah, okay... Well, I'm glad you made it okay," Blaine said hastily. "Um I'll talk to you later... I love you."

"Love you too," Kurt hung up and tossed his phone on the couch, sighing heavily.

Already feeling like he couldn't breathe in the apartment, Kurt set out to find something to do. He made his way down to the subway with no real idea of where he was going.

His feet carried him to a small coffee shop some distance away from their home. He entered and the bell tinkled over the door to announce his arrival.

"Hello!" the barista called. When he approached the counter, she asked, "What can I get for you?"

"Just a coffee," he grumbled. He was so emotionally drained that he didn't even care. When he got his drink, Kurt sat down at a familiar table and stared at the empty table in the corner.

It seemed so long ago that Kurt stole glances at Blaine in the corner. The place that started it all. Life has been so much simpler then.

Who knew so much could change in eight years?

"Don't you look lonely?" a voice said from behind him, causing him to jump.

Kurt turned on his chair to face the person and he narrowed his eyes at the stranger, "I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

"No but you're sitting here alone drinking coffee and I was going to do the same thing, so I thought I'd come introduce myself," he said, taking the seat across from Kurt. "I'm Elliot, by the way. Elliot Gilbert."

"Kurt Hummel," he replied, shaking Elliot's hand. "What can I do for you?"

Elliot shrugged, "I thought I'd come introduce myself. I thought you looked like you could use some cheering up... How are you?"

Glancing down at his cup, Kurt shrugged, "I'm getting by." What else could he say? He felt awful. He probably looked awful if a stranger thought he looked like he needed cheering up.

"It's not my business, so I'm not going to ask but if you feel the need to vent, I'd listen," Elliot said casually, taking a swig from his drink. "Sometimes it doesn't hurt to get an outside opinion."

Raising an eyebrow, Kurt studied the stranger's kind face and smiled slightly, "Thanks." Since Belle's disappearance, no one had bothered to listen to Kurt's feelings. Elliot genuinely seemed like he was trying to be friendly and it was a refreshing gesture.

They sat in silence for a moment and Kurt wasn't sure what to say. It was nice that Elliot offered to listen but was he really willing to tell his problems to a stranger? He was going through so much right now. No one would want to hear that.

"Of course, you don't have to," Elliot smiled kindly.

Shaking his head, Kurt stated, "No, I know. I appreciate it, but I'm sure you don't want to hear about it."

"That's cool. No pressure. I was just offering," Elliot said. "If you change your mind though, I come here often enough. I'm sure we'll see each other again."

"Okay," Kurt said lamely, staring at his hands. He felt so stupid but he didn't know what else to do. All he really wanted was to be with Blaine, not some stranger.

Seeing that Kurt wasn't interested in his efforts, Elliot stood up and awkwardly said, "Well, I should get going. I've got a gig to prepare for this weekend and my band wants to rehearse early today."

"You're in a band?" Kurt asked, surprised.

"I'm actually flying solo but I have a band that backs me up," Elliot informed him. "I've been playing gigs around the city for a long time."

"That's cool," Kurt nodded.

"You like music?" Elliot asked.

"Oh, yes," Kurt replied. "I was in glee club for three years in high school and my husband's a musical therapist so he's always on the piano in our apartment."

"You're married?" Elliot almost sounded disappointed. His eyes shifted to the ring on Kurt's left hand and widened.

"Yeah, almost eight years now," Kurt said. His heart ached at the thought of him. "He's a great guy."

The discomfort on Elliot's face made made Kurt stop talking. Elliot had obviously been trying to hit on Kurt and he may have just ruined his chance of making a new friend, something he could really use.

Sucking on his bottom lip, Elliot leaned forward and placed a business card in the pocket of Kurt's shirt, "Well, if you ever want to come check me out, all my dates are on my website."

"Great, I'll do that," Kurt nodded.

"I'll see you around, Kurt," Elliot smiled, before leaving the coffee shop.

Sighing heavily, Kurt flopped back in his chair and buried his face in his hands.

All of this was starting to take a toll on life outside of home and he wasn't sure how to handle that.

* * *

The clock on the wall seemed to tick slower than usual. The waiting room was almost empty and Kurt's nerves were running high.

Rachel sat between Sam and Kurt humming softly as she flipped through a magazine. She had explained before that singing to the baby before her appointments had always calmed her in her previous pregnancy.

Sam kept eyeing Kurt suspiciously around Rachel. It was like he was wondering if Kurt was really going to tell Rachel anything about Belle.

"Rachel Berry?" a nurse entered the waiting room and smiled as Rachel got to her feet, setting the magazine down in her chair.

Kurt stood up and gave her a hug. "Good luck," he smiled weakly, kissing her cheek.

"Thanks," Rachel bent over and pecked Sam on the lips. "Love you."

"Love you too," he smiled.

Kurt sat down again and reached for Rachel's magazine. She had been reading an article on first time pregnancies and Kurt quickly shut the book. It wasn't anything he wanted to read. After being there for the labor and delivery last time, Kurt knew more than he ever wanted to know.

When he set the magazine aside, Sam asked him, "Dude, so when are you going to tell her?"

"I was thinking of telling her after this... I thought we could go out to eat from here and talk," Kurt suggested. "If we get good news today, she'll be in a decent mood."

"And if you find out she's not pregnant?" Sam raised an eyebrow. "Are you still going to tell her?"

Kurt hadn't thought about that. The last thing he wanted to do was think about was finding out that she wasn't pregnant and he really had lost everything. Kurt already had such an empty place in his heart where Belle and Blaine should have been. This appointment was his last hope.

"Kurt, honestly, you need to tell her. She needs to know," Sam told him.

Nodding, Kurt agreed, "I know."

They waited in silence for a long time. Kurt was beginning to wonder if something was wrong. Was it supposed to take that long? Several other women had gone in before Rachel returned.

When she finally entered the room, Rachel slowly approached Kurt and gazed into his eyes with an expression he couldn't read. It took a moment before a smile broke her stare and she announced, "I'm pregnant!"

"Yes!" Kurt exclaimed. He lifted her into the air and spun her in a circle. "This is great! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Rachel laughed as Kurt set her back on the ground and kissed her cheek. "I'm really happy for you, Kurt," she said. "You're gonna make a great dad all over again."

"I couldn't do it without you," Kurt hugged her in return. He did his best to ignore the pain in his chest at the thought that he really hadn't been a great dad the first time around or Belle would still be with him. Shaking the thought, he said, "Thank you for giving up everything once again for me and Blaine."

"Only because I love you so much," Rachel kissed his cheek. "I wouldn't do it for anyone else... I mean, until I have my own kids." Her eyes shifted toward Sam and she blushed, quickly looking away.

"Should we go out to celebrate?" Kurt asked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sam raise an eyebrow in anticipation of what would happen.

"Of course," Rachel stepped in between Kurt and Sam, taking each of their hands. "Maybe we can even call Blaine and give him the news."

Sam and Kurt exchanged nervous glances. Sam shrugged, "It's up to Kurt."

"Wait. Okay, what was that look?" Rachel stopped in her tracks. "Am I missing something here?"

Sam shrugged, "Ask him." He pointed at Kurt.

Running a hand through his hair, Kurt sighed heavily, "Why don't we talk about this over lunch." He shot Sam a "thanks for nothing" look behind her back.

Turning on him, Rachel placed a hand on his chest and ordered, "Kurt, if there's something going on, tell me. Is it Blaine? Is he okay? Is that why he couldn't make it today?"

"No, no, it.. it's not Blaine," Kurt said slowly. He hesitated before asking, "Can't we talk about this over lunch?"

"Tell me right now," Rachel narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't like being kept in the dark."

Glancing at Sam, Kurt sighed. He met Rachel's eyes and said, "While we were down in Ohio... Belle, uh, she..." he paused. The way Rachel's eyes filled with concern over her anger made Kurt feel his throat go dry. He couldn't find the words to say it. He struggled to make any words come out.

Sam placed a hand on Kurt's shoulder and finished, "Belle's missing. They can't find her."

Staring with wide eyes, like a deer caught in headlights,, Rachel looked like she hadn't understood what Sam said. After a moment, her eyes shifted to Kurt and she said, "Excuse me?"

Kurt shrugged, feeling guilty for not telling her before. "Blaine was alone at the house with her. She went to play in the backyard and... then we couldn't find her."

Tears formed in her eyes and she asked, "So, what? That's it? You're here and she's just gone and that's all there is to it?"

"The police are investigating the case and Blaine's still there. I just couldn't stay any longer. I was going crazy. A week without her had already felt like an entire year," Kurt explained.

"Whoa. Whoa. Wait. A week?!" Rachel squealed, holding up a hand to stop him. "She's been gone a week? And I'm just now finding out about this?"

"A week and a half, actually," Sam concluded.

Rachel whirled on him, "And you knew about this? Why didn't you tell me?" A harsh edge shifted in her voice. "What the hell?"

"Kurt asked me not to tell you," Sam nodded at his friend. "I wasn't going to break a promise."

"I thought it was for good reason," Kurt said defensively. Clearly, he saw now that it was a mistake.

Storming over to him, Rachel slapped Kurt's cheek and shouted, "You didn't have the balls to tell me that my daughter has been missing for a week and a half?! You selfish asshole!"

"It's not that simple," Kurt defended himself. "Blaine has already been through enough and I was worried about you and the baby and - "

"Are you really going to use the baby as an excuse? You didn't even know if I was pregnant!" she shouted. "How could you use that against me?"

"We had hopes and Blaine would be devastated if something happened to it! I was just trying to protect him and you," Kurt shot back. "I was going to tell you when the time was right."

"When? After I have the baby? While I'm in labor and too distracted to really notice?" Rachel crossed her arms over her chest. "You should have told me, Kurt."

"I'm sorry. I wanted to," Kurt stepped closer to her. Placing his hands on her shoulders, Kurt begged her to understand. "This has been hard enough, Rachel."

"No shit? I wouldn't know because you didn't bother to tell me!" Rachel said, tears now rolling down her cheeks. "I can't believe how selfish you're being. I have a right to know when my daughter goes missing. Yes, I would've been upset but at least I could've trusted you."

"I'm sorry!" Kurt replied. "I didn't know what to do."

"I know what to do," Rachel turned on her heel and walked away.

Sam gave Kurt an apologetic half smile and ran after Rachel, "Baby, wait!"

"Get away from me!" Rachel shoved him backward. "You kept this from me too."

"Kurt made me promise not to say anything," Sam said. "I was going to tell you soon. I wanted to give him a chance to tell you first."

"And you should have known better. You should have told me anyway. I can't believe you lied to me," Rachel moved swiftly toward the door and left without another word.

Sighing, Sam walked back toward Kurt and said, "Well, the worst is over. At least she knows now. She'll get over it."

"Yeah..." Kurt whispered, knowing the worst wasn't over. She wasn't going to forgive him so easily. It was just another person that was slipping through his fibers. What made Kurt feel terrible was that Rachel being angry with him was the least of Kurt's problems.

* * *

Kurt dove into his work as the week wore on. Rachel was no longer speaking to him, Sam was distant because of Rachel, and he had hardly heard from Blaine.

He was starting to get lonely. Without Blaine, Kurt always felt empty. But the silence in the apartment without Belle was unbearable. He missed her so much that his chest felt tight. And he couldn't talk to his two best friends about it because they weren't on speaking terms.

He was starting to think maybe he should have taken up Elliot's offer to talk.

"You look really tired," Isabelle said, when Kurt entered her office at the end of the work day.

"Something like that," Kurt mumbled. He set a stack of papers on her desk and added, "You look a little too perky for my mood."

"I am in a good mood. I just applied for a higher position over at Forbes magazine and I have a really good feeling about this," she smiled, flipping through the stack of papers.

"What? Why?" Kurt felt his stomach drop. On top of everything, getting a new boss was not something he needed. Isabelle had been such a good friend over the years.

"It's just time. They had a position open and I really think it'd be good for me, you know? This job's getting stale for that Lance and I finalized the divorce, I need to make changes in my life." Isabelle stood up and came around her desk. Grabbing his hand, she said, "You'll be fine. I'm sure they'll find you a better boss than me."

"No one could replace you," Kurt smiled sadly.

"Aw, thanks," she squeezed his hand. "But don't worry, I don't have the job yet so you might still have to put up with me."

"Well, I can't be selfish and say I hope you stay here, so good luck with that," Kurt said. In truth, Kurt was hoping he could stay friends with her after she left. The space in his heart was growing bigger every day and Kurt wanted to hold on to some part of his life.

"Do you want to grab a coffee or something? You really look like you could use it," Isabelle asked. "I'll buy you something."

Shaking his head, he said, "That's okay. I think I'm going to try to call Blaine. I haven't heard from him in two days and I'm getting worried."

"Okay," she smiled weakly. "I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good night, Kurt."

Kurt left the office and made his way home. He called Blaine when he left and had to leave him a voicemail. "Hi... It's me. Just feeling like you're ignoring me at this point. Please call me back when you get this... Love you." He hated sounding so whiny but Kurt was beginning to feel like everything was leaving him and the least he could do was talk to Blaine about it.

When he walked up to the apartment door, Kurt saw a dozen roses sitting outside with a note attached to it. Surprised, he scooped it up and smelled the flowers. He then grabbed the note, unfolded it, and read:

Happy Valentine's Day!

I miss you like crazy and I've been thinking about you every minute of every day. There's a couple more things I have to do before I come home but I want to take you on a Valentine date. Meet me at the address below at 7 o'clock sharp. Love you! - Blaine.

A smile spread across Kurt's face and he quickly entered the apartment. He took a shower and changed into a different outfit.

When he arrived at the address Blaine had listed, Kurt found himself near the edge of Central Park. He glanced around and tried to find a clue as to why Blaine was leading him here.

A sudden vibration in his pocket made Kurt jump. He reached for his phone and pulled it out. He answered Blaine's FaceTime call and finally laid eyes on his husband. "What are you up to?" Kurt answered the call.

"I told you that we're going on a date," Blaine told him. "Go into the restaurant across the street.

"I - what? No. I'm not going to sit in a restaurant by myself. I'll look stupid," Kurt protested. He didn't move an inch in that direction.

"You won't be alone. You'll be with me. Look," Blaine turned the phone so Kurt could see the inside of a different restaurant. "We're on a date, remember. I told my waitress, Lucy, and she thought it was cute."

"This is silly. We never spend Valentine's Day together anyway," Kurt pointed out. "Our first year together, we forgot and went out to dinner a couple weeks later. I proposed to you and you turned me down."

"The next year, you were in Ohio because Carole had knee surgery," Blaine continued. "And the following year, Rachel decided we were having a lame party at her place and I forgot to go."

"That was your excuse... The next two years were my fault. I had to stay at work late the following year," Kurt continued. "Isabelle dragged me to some ballet the next year and I couldn't turn her down. "

"Then we spent the next year in the emergency room because Belle broke her arm," Blaine listed. "And she ruined it the next year because her class had a party she begged me to go to."

"And last year, you went down to visit Savannah because you forgot that was the week of Valentine's Day when you made plans with her," Kurt blamed him.

"And look where we are this year," Blaine said. "We're on a virtual date, so it counts."

"No, you should be here," Kurt said bitterly, missing Blaine's physical presence too much. "I really wish you'd just come home."

Blaine frowned, "Babe, I told you how I felt. I just... I just can't leave. I know she's here somewhere. I have this gut feeling."

"Are you sure that's not your gut just convincing you that she's there?" Kurt asked. "Honey, I know you want to believe Belle will turn up tomorrow but it's not that simple."

"Why do you always have to tear down any hope I have?" Blaine said hotly. "Are you trying to make sure I stay miserable the entire time she's gone?"

"Of course not! Why would you say that? All I meant was that I want you to come back here and be with me," Kurt said defensively. "Aren't I allowed to miss you?"

"Well, sure, but I'm tired of fighting about where I need to be. We obviously have different opinions here. You can't be away from work and I can't leave Belle," Blaine said. "I just don't need you pressuring me to come home before I'm ready."

Kurt rolled his eyes, "Ugh, Blaine, I'm not trying to pressure you into doing anything. I want what's best for you. I'm just worried about you being down there."

"Well, don't worry. I can take care of myself," Blaine said shortly. He had stood up and walked out of the restaurant.

"What are you doing?" Kurt asked.

"Well, I wasn't going to sit in there and have everyone listen to our argument," Blaine retorted. "You clearly didn't want this date anyway."

"I'm not trying to argue with you. I'm trying to be reasonable," Kurt snapped. "Sweetie, you have to understand that you have responsibilities here. Your job, the apartment, the baby we are having, and me."

"I know that," Blaine said, not even catching that Kurt mentioned they're having a baby. "I told you before I didn't know if I wanted to go back to my job anyway."

"So you're just going to stay there and leave our life here? I told you I can't do that," Kurt felt his breath catch in his chest.

Shrugging, Blaine said, "I don't know what I want anymore."

"Fine, if you're willing to divide our family more than it already is, that's your choice but don't think I'm happy with you about it," Kurt ended the call and shoved his phone in his pocket.

Fighting back tears once more, Kurt rushed down the street and headed back toward his empty apartment. If he was going to be alone, he might as well get used to it.


	7. Week 7 - Bad Behavior

The throbbing on the side of his head was so strong that Blaine had no intention of getting out of bed. He wanted to get in the shower but he had no motivation.

The thing that changed his mind was his cell phone ringing across the room on the dresser. Blaine slowly sat up and rubbed his forehead, letting out a long groan.

"Hello?" he said. Not hearing anything, he said more loudly, "Hello?!" Looking at the screen, Blaine realized his phone was upside down. He flipped it around and repeated, "Hello?"

"Hi," Kurt's soft voice came through the phone and Blaine felt every part of him relax.

"You're speaking to me?" Blaine asked.

"I'm sorry about last night," Kurt said slowly. "I was just really upset that you weren't here and I sort of just... lost it."

"It's okay. I understand," Blaine said truthfully. He hadn't been himself in weeks. It was only a matter of time before Kurt started going crazy too.

"Are we okay? I hate fighting with you," Kurt said, his voice full of concern.

"Just so we come to the conclusion that we aren't handling this the same way," Blaine informed him. "You want New York but I started looking for a job here."

Silence.

"Here we go," Blaine sighed, knowing where this was going.

"Why the hell would you do something like that?" Kurt barked. "I know you said that you weren't sure you wanted to leave but you're really just not coming back to New York?"

"I don't know! It's not like I applied. I was just looking, in case we changed our minds. I wouldn't do anything without you," Blaine argued.

"Really? Do you realize you're already making a decision by looking?" Kurt huffed. "Blaine, do you realize how much work you've already missed here? We're losing money."

"I know that, okay? They've been really good about the situation but I am gonna have to go back next week," he paused. "But maybe that's not the answer. Maybe we need a new change."

"I told you that I'm not giving up my job. I love my life here," Kurt said hotly.

"I'm sure you could find something here you'd like," Blaine suggested.

"I can't leave New York, Blaine. This is home. I left Ohio because I didn't fit in there. And I can't leave Rachel knowing that she's pregnant with our baby," Kurt told him.

At this, Blaine froze. "You know that or are you still just guessing?"

"She had an appointment the other day," Kurt explained. "We're having a baby."

"Oh."

"I tried to tell you but you didn't answer my calls for two days, and when I tried to tell you last night, you were too caught up in arguing," Kurt said.

"Shit," Blaine smacked his forehead. Had he really been so distant that he missed it? "Kurt, I'm so sorry. If I had known -"

"It's done. It's over," Kurt said shortly. "I kind of wanted to share the moment with my husband but apparently I don't know when I'm going to see you again."

"Kurt -"

"No, it's fine. It's... it's whatever. You think I'm in the wrong for walking away, but at least I'm willing to admit that I'm hurting and I need you. I guess you're too caught up in your own life to care," Kurt's bitter voice was then caught off by the call ending.

"Kurt," Blaine said quietly. He tried calling Kurt's number again but the call was sent to voicemail.

So far, Kurt hadn't showed much emotion. It was no surprise. Kurt had learned to build up his walls and not show how much he was really hurting over something, but Blaine felt guilty for not knowing better. He should have tried harder to be there for Kurt.

But he had been selfish and now he might be too late.

* * *

"Can I have another beer?" Blaine asked the bartender. He waited, while the man grabbed another bottle and handed it to him. "Thanks," Blaine mumbled, taking a swig.

Kurt had been distant with him the last two days and Blaine was beginning to feel guilty. He had made the decision to go home at the end of the week, because he knew it was time to go back to Kurt. He couldn't wait for Belle forever.

But he wasn't ready just yet. Blaine had so much guilt building inside him that he needed a couple days to forget about it without Kurt nagging him about drinking too much.

Kurt didn't understand how he felt. The guilt from never fixing things with his father. The guilt of letting Belle disappear while he was responsible for her. The guilt of pushing Kurt aside and letting him hurt on his own. Kurt didn't understand and he had no where else to turn but to the alchohol.

After Blaine drank that beer, he stared at the text message on his phone.

**(10:43) Rachel:** _Did your ass of a husband tell you the good news the other day?_

(**10:46) Blaine:** _That depends in what newss._

**(10:48) Rachel:**_ I'm pregnant. You're gonna be a dad again._

**(10:51) Blaine:** _Oh yea I new that_

**(10:53) Rachel:** _Just checking. I figured he was good at keeping secrets so I wasn't sure if he told you._

**(10:54) Blaine:** _Secrets?_

His phone began to ring and her name appeared on the screen.

"What?" he asked harshly.

"Well, judging by the state of your texts, you've been drinking. So I'd rather not do this over text message... Kurt didn't bother to tell me that Belle's missing," Rachel said.

"Oh, that," Blaine said.

"I'm guessing he told you not to tell me too," Rachel continued. "I mean, I never heard from you either."

"I don't remember," Blaine said, rubbing his forehead, trying to recall what Kurt said.

"Honestly, I just need to figure this out. I'm so angry that he didn't tell me, and yet I never took it out on you. But at the same time, I need someone to talk to about this. I miss her. I know Sam loves Belle but it's not the same, you know?" Rachel rambled. "I'm not sure how to approach Kurt and you and I have always been close. I thought maybe I could talk to you about it."

"What do you want me to do about it?" Blaine asked, taking another bottle of beer from the bartender. "There's nothing I could do to make you feel better."

There was silence on Rachel's end. When she spoke, Blaine could tell her voice was shaking. "I don't know. Come home. Tell me that it's okay to feel like my world is caving in. Tell me that it's going to be okay."

"I can't do that, Rach," Blaine slurred.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I don't believe in happy endings anymore," Blaine said. "They don't exist."

"Wh- why?" she said quietly. "Do you know something?"

"No, that's the problem. I'm sorry, Rachel. I can't give you any comfort because I've got nothing left to give," Blaine hung up the phone and pocketed it. He then stood up and felt the room spin beneath him.

"Whoa!" a voice called, as a pair of strong hands caught Blaine around the torso and straightened him on his feet. "Too much to drink?"

"No, I only had..." Blaine paused, not even sure how many beers he had.

"You've been sitting here sulking in a bottle for a while now," the voice continued. "I'm sure you've lost count."

"How do you know?" Blaine asked, surprised.

"Because I've been watching you," the man gave Blaine a gentle shove back on to the barstool. "I thought you looked pretty out of it."

"Oh," Blaine hiccuped. "Well, I'm fine but thank you."

The man sat down next to Blaine and smiled warmly, "Need any company?"

Blaine simply shrugged.

"I'm Dave," he held out a hand and Blaine lazily shook it.

"Blaine."

""I'd offer you a drink but by the looks of you, I think you've had enough," Dave glanced over him. "But like I said, I can offer you my company."

Blaine waved the comment off, "my intention for drinking tonight was to forget my problems. I could use another beer."

At this, the bartender slid another beer across the counter and Dave reached for it. "Do you already feel like hell, Blaine?" he asked.

"Mhm," Blaine nodded, feeling his stomach turn. He reached for the bottle and Dave pulled it back.

"Do yourself a favor and go home," Dave suggested. "I'd offer to give you a ride but you don't know me and I'm not sure how you'd feel about that."

Shrugging again, Blaine said, "What does it matter? I stopped giving a shit a while ago."

Dave awkwardly flinched, before he took a deep breath and said, "well, if you want a ride, I'll give you one... or I can pay for a cab."

"No, just take me home," Blaine stood up again and swayed on the spot. Head spinning, he bent over and vomited at Dave's feet.

"Oh! Okay... Yeah..." Dave leapt backwards. "Yeah, let's get going." He grabbed Blaine and pulled him closer. Placing an arm around his torso, Dave led Blaine out to a silver SUV in the parking lot. "Here, I'd prefer you sit in the back in case you puke again. You can lie down if you want to."

"Thanks," Blaine grumbled. His mind felt fuzzy as Dave helped him into the car. Leaning his head against the cool window, Blaine closed his eyes. He heard the car start up and mumbled, "1642 Boxwood Lane."

"I was just going to ask," Dave chuckled. He shifted the car into reverse and took off.

At this point, Blaine knew in the back of his mind that this was a dangerous idea but he needed a ride home and Dave seemed nice enough. He also felt like he didn't care what happened and that was probably his drunken state talking.

When they arrived in the driveway, Dave got out of the car and came around to open the door for Blaine. He whipped the door open and scanned him closely. "Are you going to make it to the door okay?"

"Yeah, I'm great," Blaine scooted to the edge of the seat and stumbled toward the ground. He felt Dave's arms grab him once more and he stared at the man before him. "Thanks again," he said quietly. He stared at Dave and blurted out, "I like your eyes."

"Yeah..." Dave's eyes widened and he leaned in close to Blaine. Gently pressing his lips to Blaine's, Dave's hand moved to hold his shoulder.

Startled, Blaine was surprised how much he liked the way Dave's kiss felt. He didn't move as Dave deepened the kiss. It wasn't until Dave pulled back that Blaine felt his stomach turn. His eyes widened and he said. "Woah."

"Here. I'll walk you to the door." Dave placed his arm around Blaine's torso like before and led him to the door. "If you ever need a ride home again, give me a call."

"I don't have your phone. I mean, number," Blaine shook his head.

"Let me see your phone," Dave took the device from him and dialed a number. The phone in his pocket started ringing and he hung up. "Now you do."

"Okay," Blaine said quietly. "Thanks for the ride." He stumbled through the front door and crashed on the couch, having no energy to make it upstairs.

* * *

**(8:56) Unknown Number:**_ How's that hangover treating you this morning?_

**(9:13) Blaine:**_ I'm sorry... Who is this?_

**(9:16) Unknown Number**: I had a feeling you'd be too drunk to remember. This is Dave. I brought you home last night. I just wanted to make sure you were all right.

**(9:21) Blaine:**_ Oh... Well, thanks for that. How did you get my number?_

**(9:23) Dave:**_ You gave it to me, you know, after we kissed._

**(9:45) Blaine:**_ We didn't kiss._

**(9:46) Dave:**_ Oh yes, we did._

**(9:48) Blaine:**_ We didn't kiss._

**(9:50) Dave:**_ Was I that bad?_

**(10:03) Blaine:**_ Meet me at the coffee shop on Elm Street. 15 minutes?_

**(10:04) Dave:**_ Okay._

Blaine quickly got dressed. Ignoring the pounding headache he had, he rushed off to the coffee shop, hoping this guy would show up.

His chest felt tight. He couldn't believe things had spiraled this far out of control. How has he kissed someone else? He was usually horny when he was drunk, but had he felt so lonely that he acted out on someone else?

As soon as he saw the burly man sitting there, Blaine knew it was the same person he encountered last night. He remembered talking to him before but he still couldn't remember kissing him.

Tapping the man on the shoulder, Blaine asked, "Dave?"

"Hi!" he smiled, standing up to greet Blaine. "I'm sorry for all the confusion. I was honestly just trying to be helpful last night... My best friend died a few years ago from drinking and driving. He swerved into a tree... I'm a little too cautious sometimes, even to strangers."

Holding up a hand to silence him, Blaine replied, "It's fine. I was drunk, so I wasn't even in the right frame of mind. I probably needed the ride."

"You seem like a nice guy and I wondered if, maybe, you want to get to know each other a little better," Dave raised an eyebrow. "I know nothing about you, but you're cute and I know you felt the same thing I did when we kissed last night."

"Dave, that's flattering but - "

"Why does there have to be a but?" Dave interrupted, watching him closely. "Can't we just be friends and see where this goes?"

Sighing, Blaine closed his eyes, he still didn't know this man and he was being unusually friendly. "I could use a friend but that's it. This isn't going anywhere because I'm -"

"We'll see," Dave winked. Reaching his hand across the table, Dave placed it over Blaine's and added, "Look, I'm sorry for being so forward. Last night you looked like you needed some help. I know what it's like to be in a dark place and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do something for somebody else. You said you could use a friend, right?"

"Yeah..." Blaine said slowly.

"Let's just start there," Dave smiled. "If you want to talk, I'm all for listening."

"I guess that wouldn't hurt," Blaine smiled. "But I should warn you that I'm heading to New York in a couple days, so I won't be around."

"That's okay. If you ever want to text or call me, you know how to reach me," Dave said.

"Thanks," I appreciate that," Blaine replied.

* * *

"I missed you so much!" Kurt embraced Blaine at the baggage claim in the airport a couple days later. "It feels like it's been so long."

"I missed you too," Blaine kissed him swiftly, before turning to the luggage to look for his suitcase. "I'm really sorry that it took me so long to get here."

"Hey, it's okay. After I left, I totally understood why you didn't want to leave," Kurt lunged forward and grabbed the blue suitcase to his right. "Here it is."

"Thanks," Blaine smiled weakly. He took the suitcase from him and took Kurt's hand in the other. "How are you doing?" Blaine asked.

Kurt shrugged, "keeping busy. It's all I really can do to keep my mind off... Belle." He winced at the mention of her name.

Rubbing his thumb along Kurt's knuckles, Blaine said soothingly, "I know. It's hard. I haven't had much to keep my mind off of it."

"What about you? How are you doing?" Kurt genuinely sounded concerned.

Blaine thought back to the week he had. Every night was spent out at the bar. The last two nights were spent talking to Dave. He told him about how his daughter was missing and he was concerned for her. He told him about his estranged relationship with his now late father. He talked about how tired he was of feeling hopeless and that's why he had been drinking for days. Dave has been a good listener and kept a limit on how much Blaine was aloud to drink.

But he couldn't tell Kurt that he had been drowning his sorrows in alcohol.

"I'm okay. Happy to be home," Blaine reassured him. He led Kurt toward the nearest subway and they made their way home.

The moment they entered the apartment, Blaine froze. It was eerily quiet and he shivered slightly. It was so clear that something was missing. "You've been dealing with this by yourself?" he asked quietly.h

"Yeah," Kurt nodded, heading into the kitchen. "It's worse in her room. I've only been in there once. I couldn't stand it."

"Damn," Blaine huffed. He walked toward Belle's door and pushed it open. Scanning the clean room, he took a deep breath and stepped inside. Running his hand along the edge of the dresser, Blaine stopped and stared in the mirror.

He hadn't shaved in almost two weeks for lack of motivation and it was really starting to show. His curly hair was uncontrollable. But the thing that surprised him most was the hollow look in his eyes. His eyes were almost a faded brown rather than their usual hazel. He has been falling apart on the inside but he didn't know it was changing his appearance on the outside.

Turning away from the mirror, Blaine moved to the bed and picked up the picture frame on the night stand. He ran his hand over Belle's face and closed his eyes, wishing he could hold her in his arms.

A knock on the front door pulled Blaine from his thoughts. He set the frame down and wiped the tears from his eyes, making his way back to the living room.

"Hey, dude!" Sam's voice carried across the room. "It's about time you came back!"

"I know," Blaine gave him a hug. Pulling back, he spotted Rachel in the corner and moved toward her. "Hey there."

"Hi, Blaine," she smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I missed you," she told him, burying her face in his shoulder. "I'm also glad you're still speaking to me. I was worried I made you mad the other day."

"I missed you too," he replied, waving off the comment. He almost forgot about their phone conversation. When she let go, Blaine cupped her cheek and smiled at her, "And I'm really glad to hear that things are going well."

"At least for this little one," she touched her stomach and frowned. Her lip began to quiver and she squeaked, "I wish we could say the same for Belle."

"I know," Blaine pulled her into another hug and gently rubbed her back. He felt tears form in his eyes and he tried to fight it.

Sam stepped closer and patted Rachel's back, "it's okay, babe." He looked at Blaine and said, "She's been really emotional about it."

Stepping away from Blaine, she turned to face Kurt and said, "Which is why I understand that you were trying to protect me. I still hate that I was the last to know but I can't stay angry with you. We have more to worry about than that."

"Aw, thanks, lady," Kurt walked over and hugged her. "I was hoping you'd understand." He led her to the kitchen and said, "Let me get you something to drink."

When they were out of earshot, Sam stepped closer and quietly asked, "Hey, dude. Are you okay? You look like hell."

Blaine shrugged, "There's nothing to worry about. Trust me, I'm fine."

Clapping a hand on his shoulder, Sam assured him, "Well, I'm always here for you if you need it."

"Thanks," Blaine nodded.

Rachel came back with a glass of water in her hand and Kurt followed with a bottle of wine and three glasses. "I've got some wine, if you want to stay for dinner."

"Tease," Rachel rolled her eyes.

"That'd be great. We can catch up," Sam smiled, taking a glass from Kurt.

Pouring one and handing it to Blaine, Kurt said, "I'll throw in a chicken in a few minutes." He gave Blaine a peck on the cheek and smiled.

Staring at the glass of wine, Blaine felt his stomach flip. He had been deep enough in alcohol this week. He shouldn't encourage the habit, especially around Kurt. His husband would be upset if he knew what Blaine had been doing.

"Are you okay? Your hands are shaking," Sam said quietly, so only Blaine could hear.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine," Blaine set the glass of wine on the counter and said, "I'm just going to run to the bathroom." He bolted for the bathroom and locked the door behind him. Leaning against the door, Blaine sank to the floor and closed his eyes. He could feel his hands trembling and covered his face.

Everyone knew this was hard. Sam, Kurt, and Rachel were devastated over Belle but they had no idea how much Blaine had fallen apart. How guilty he felt about his dad, Belle, and kissing Dave. He couldn't let them see how broken he was.

After a couple moments, a pounding on the door caused him to jump. Rachel's voice came through, "Blaine, I'm gonna be sick. Please let me in."

Climbing to his feet, Blaine swung the door open and watched Rachel run by him. She bolted for the toilet and fell to her knees. Blaine watched her vomit into the bowl. She sat back on her feet and ran a shaky hand across her forehead.

"Are you okay?" Blaine knelt down next to her and rubbed her back.

"I'm fine. The perks of being pregnant, huh?" Rachel croaked. She turned to face him and her eyes went wide. "I think the better question is: are you okay? You look awful."

"I'm fine," he said too quickly.

Narrowing her eyes, Rachel said sternly, "Blaine Devon Anderson, I have known you for eleven years. I know when you're lying. What's wrong?"

"Rachel, I swear I'm fine," Blaine shrugged. "It's nothing, really. It's silly."

She smiled sadly, running a hand through his thick curls, "When you get to a point when you aren't fine, will you please tell someone? I don't care if it's me or Kurt or whatever. Don't deny it. We're all hurting. It's okay."

"I'm fine," Blaine insisted.

Grabbing his hand, Rachel said, "Look, you don't have to tell me anything. But promise me, you'll at least tell Kurt. He's your husband. He's a right to know what's on your mind."

"Of course I'd tell him," Blaine simply said. He then stood up and helped pull Rachel off the bathroom floor, leading her back into the living room.

Kurt smiled weakly at him, and Blaine's heart dropped to his stomach. Kurt already had so much on his plate. He didn't need to worry about Blaine too. He knew Rachel was right, Kurt had a right to know.

But Blaine had no intention of telling Kurt anything.


	8. Week 8 - Ransom

The beat of the drums pounded through Kurt's chest. The music was loud and the crowd was getting rowdy. He stood off to the side, leaning against a wall, thankful that he wasn't involved in the chaos.

"You look bored," Sam shouted in his ear. "Do you want to get out of here?"

"No, I'm not bored," Kurt said, leaning close to Sam's ear. "I was just thinking about Blaine... I want to stay. Elliot promised to take us backstage after the show."

"Shake loose for a night. Don't worry about Blaine. Take your mind off everything," Sam said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah," Kurt nodded. He couldn't really do that. Blaine had been acting so strange and Kurt was completely worried about him, but he didn't know how to handle the situation. As far as he could tell, Blaine was trying to hide his feelings.

"Come on," Sam grabbed his hand and dragged him into the middle of the crowd. He started nodding his head to the music, attempting to encourage Kurt to do the same.

Seven more songs went by and Kurt still felt like he wasn't having any fun. In fact, he felt guilty for going out and trying to have a good time when the rest of his family was miserable. The only reason he went was because Elliot had been begging him to attend a show.

"Thank you, New York! Have a good night!" Elliot called, before running off the stage. The band continued to play, as the crowd started breaking up. Kurt watched Elliot stop at the edge of the stage. Their eyes met and Elliot jerked his head to signal him to come.

"Let's go," Kurt nudged Sam with his elbow and pushed his way through the crowd to get to the door beside the stage.

"Hey, Kurt!" Elliot called, standing off to the side. He handed the man next to him a blue guitar and approached Kurt and Sam. "I'm so glad you made it out."

"Me too. That was a great show. You're really good," Kurt forcefully smiled.

"Thanks," Elliot replied. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Sam Evans," Kurt introduced his friend. "Sam this is Elliot - ."

"Gilbert," Sam finished, shaking his hand. "I love your music. I can't believe I'm actually meeting you." He turned to face Kurt and questioned, "I thought maybe you just had backstage passes. You didn't tell me you knew Elliot Gilbert. How do you know him?"

Elliot blushed, "We met a couple weeks ago in a coffee shop."

"I didn't know Elliot was a big deal," Kurt shrugged. "He just said he played music around town. We've sent text messages a little but we still don't really know each other."

"That's unfortunate," Elliot smiled. Motioning them with his hand, he said, "If you guys want to follow me, I'll show you around a little."

"That'd be great!" Sam exclaimed, shoving Kurt forward to follow Elliot.

Giving them a tour of the small backstage area, Elliot showed them the instruments kept back there. Sam practically drooled over the red acoustic guitar Elliot had. He then led them down another hall and said, "The dressing room they gave me is over here."

When they entered the room, Kurt froze at the sight before him. Two young girls were sprawled out in their own space. The oldest girl, who appeared to be about thirteen, was lying on the couch with a homework assignment before her. The younger girl was lying on the floor with a coloring book open. What surprised Kurt was that he knew the younger girl.

"Macy?" he gasped.

"Hi, Mr. Hummel," Macy waved with a blue crayon in her hand.

"You know Macy?" Elliot raised an eyebrow.

"She goes to school with my daughter Belle. They have ballet together," Kurt knelt down beside the brunette and stared at her with a curious expression. Macy had never been pleasant to him or Belle but she seemed to be fine at the moment.

"Macy and Sarah are my nieces," Elliot explained. "My sister works late and my brother-in-law is out of town on business, so I had to bring them here during my show,"

Kurt knelt down beside Macy and stared at her, 'Macy, you haven't heard from Belle, have you?" He knew there wasn't much chance but he had to ask.

"No," Macy replied. "Ms. Rhonda said a couple weeks ago that Belle was sick and that's it. We thought maybe she was too scared to come back."

"Why would she be scared?" Elliot crossed his arms over his chest.

"Macy and her friends tease Belle all the time," Kurt said. He stood up again and quietly told Elliot, "She's currently missing. I didn't think Macy would know anything but any information helps."

"Woah. Really?" Elliot's eyes went wide. "What do you mean she's missing?"

"I mean..." Kurt hesitated, making sure Macy was paying more attention to her coloring book. "Belle was kidnapped, we think. She disappeared a few weeks ago."

"Oh no!" Macy dropped her crayon. She had been listening. "That's really scary."

Panicking, Kurt knelt down beside her once more and said, "Please don't mention it to the other girls. I don't want to scare them. I'll have Ms. Rhonda explain it better. She should know how to handle it."

"Did you hear Mr. Hummel, Mace?" Elliot said firmly, "Let your teacher tell the others."

Holding up a hand, Macy said, "I won't say anything, I promise."

"Thanks," Kurt whispered, feeling tears well in his eyes. Talking to one of Belle's classmates about it made the situation feel that much more real.

"Maybe we should get going," Sam placed a hand on Kurt's shoulder and squeezed it gently in comfort. "This is a little much."

"Are you sure?" Elliot sounded disappointed. "If you want to take your mind off of it, we can go grab a beer or something."

Shaking his head, Kurt sniffed, "I should be home with Blaine. I never should have come here at all... I'm sorry, Elliot."

"Me too," Elliot frowned. "If you change your mind, give me a call."

Sam led Kurt back down the hallway and toward the exit. "I'm sorry, man. I really thought I could cheer you up for once," he apologized.

Feeling the wind hit his face as Sam opened the doors, Kurt rubbed his eyes, "It's fine. Let's just... not mention this to Blaine, okay? He doesn't need anything else to worry about."

* * *

"Kurt? Honey? What are you doing?" Blaine's soft voice came from behind him.

"Nothing," Kurt shrugged, closing his eyes. He had hoped to get through his chores before Blaine got home.

"Are you going through Belle's baby clothes?" Blaine asked, sitting on the floor next to him. He reached in a box and pulled out a tiny purple shirt.

"I can't believe we kept them all these years," Kurt said, picking up a pink, lacy dress. "We weren't sure if we even wanted to have another kid but insisted on keeping them in case we did. At least we can put some of it to use now."

"You do realize that we have months to go through this, right?" Blaine set the shirt back in the box.

"It's therapeutic," Kurt admitted. "It takes me back to an easier time when we... had her," he finished lamely. Clearing his throat, he added, "Also the sooner we get this done, the more time we gave for other baby preparation."

"I feel like I'm cheating on Belle," Blaine said sadly. "We lose her at the same time we start all over. How is that fair? It's almost like we're replacing her."

"We planned this pregnancy long before Belle disappeared," Kurt reminded him. "It had nothing to do with her disappearance."

"Yeah..." Blaine sighed. "I was just hoping she could experience the pregnancy with us. Finding out if it's a boy or girl, painting the nursery, buying supplies we need."

"We never even got the chance to tell her we were having the baby," Kurt added. Telling Belle about the baby had been something Kurt wanted to do for so long. It wasn't fair that she didn't know. "I know the police are doing everything they can but I hate the thought of her coming back after the baby's born. At least, if we find her soon, she could experience some of those things."

"Kurt?" Blaine said quietly.

"What?" Kurt glanced up at the tone in his voice.

"Do you think Belle will feel like we replaced her?" Blaine asked, his hazel eyes full of sadness. "Like we chose to have another kid because she wasn't around anymore."

Shrugging, Kurt admitted, "I hadn't thought of that." He took Blaine's hand and said, "I guess all we can do is tell her the truth and hope she understands."

"If we ever get to tell her the truth," Blaine said bitterly.

Squeezing his hand, Kurt reassured him, "We will." He picked up the dress he had before and placed it in a box. "Until then, I'm distracting myself. We won't know what we're having for a few months, so I'm organizing clothes by gender. Some of Belle's things are neutral that could be saved for a boy."

"And if it's a girl, all the organizing will be for nothing," Blaine stated. We can use all of it."

"But it keeps my mind busy," Kurt said. "I am getting rid of some outfits."

"I thought I wanted a boy, but with Belle missing, I kind of hope it's a girl now. I can't tell if it's just because of Belle or if I changed my mind," Blaine admitted. He picked up a green skirt and said, "Am I wrong to feel like we are replacing her?"

Turning to face him, Kurt replied, "Nothing in this world could ever replace Belle." He kissed Blaine and added, "Let me do this. I think you're overwhelmed."

"Yeah... Okay," Blaine nodded. He got to his feet and added, "just don't let it drive you crazy."

Kurt had no intention of telling Blaine that it was too late for that.

* * *

"Thanks for coming with me. I knew I had to do this but I couldn't make it Blaine's problem," Kurt told Rachel, as they entered the ballet studio. "He's already closing himself off from being overwhelmed."

"Of course," Rachel said weakly. "I know I've been distant with you, and I'm still a little sore about you lying to me, but now is not the time to turn on each other. You're my best friend. I'm here for you."

"I wasn't sure if I should ask you after everything but I figured Sam told you what happened the other day at Elliot's show," Kurt replied.

"Telling him to keep something a secret is basically telling me a secret. We're like you and Blaine. We tell each other everything. Only difference is that we're not married," Rachel shook her head.

"You'll get there," Kurt replied, nudging her with his elbow.

"How many more years do I have to wait? I really thought he'd ask me on Valentine's Day," she let out a long sigh. "Then again, I'll be fat before long. Why would he want to ask me then?"

"Rachel, Sam's not like that. It's not every day you find a guy that's willing to share you with two gay men. Everything will fall into place. Don't worry," he gave her a weak smile.

"I wish I could say the same for Belle," she frowned, staring at her hands.

"Me too," Kurt whispered.

"Hi, Mr. Hummel, Ms. Berry, I will be with you momentarily," Rhonda called from across the studio. She set down a stack of papers and called to her class, "Alright, girls! That's it for today. Collect your items and I will see you on Thursday."

Kurt and Rachel stood to the side and watched Belle's class file past them. None of them had a clue how lucky they were to be living their normal routine. Even Macy walked by without a glance in their direction. She knew what happened but she couldn't understand the seriousness of the situation.

When the room had emptied, Rhonda wandered over to them and smiled, "Hi. So sorry about the wait. How's Belle feeling? We miss having her in class. She's a natural talent."

Kurt stared at the dance floor, thinking of the countless times he had watched his daughter glide across the floor. He loved sneaking in before class let out to watch her. She would get embarrassed and say, "Dad, there's no point watching. I'm not as good as the other girls."

Rachel nudged him with her elbow and hissed, "Tell her."

Taking a deep breath, Kurt started, "We had told you that Belle was sick but that's not really the case. Belle... "he paused, taking another deep breath. "Belle was kidnapped a few weeks ago and we still can't find her."

Rhonda gasped, "kidnapped? You're not serous."

"I wish I wasn't," Kurt said quietly. "I wasn't sure I was even going to mention it until Macy found out a couple days ago."

"At this point, the more people that know, the better," Rachel said, grabbing Kurt's hand. "An Amber Alert was issued in Ohio where she went missing but word won't spread in New York that way. The police have been informed though, since we live here."

"Do you want me to tell the girls?"" Rhonda asked nervously. The expression on her face was horror struck.

"And the parents, if you would," Rachel spoke for Kurt, who couldn't find his words once more. His mind still on an invisible ballerina on the dance floor.

Nodding, Rhonda said, "I'll see what I can do. I agree, the more people that know, the better. I just wish I had known sooner."

Shrugging, Kurt pulled himself from his thoughts and said, "It was a delicate situation. I wasn't ready to tell anyone. I hadn't even told Rachel right away."

Giving him a sad smile, Rhonda told him, "I can't imagine how difficult this must be for you and Blaine. I will let the girls know and if I hear any news, I'll let you know."

"Thank you," Kurt shook her hand, before heading out of the office and parting ways with Rachel, who had her own errands to run.

Glancing at his phone, Kurt saw that Blaine had left him a new voicemail. He listened immediately, noticing the way Blaine's voice shook. "Hi, babe. I know you said you had a couple things to do today, but I... I need you to come home. Please. Whatever you're doing, it can wait."

Panic filled Kurt's mind and he dialed Blaine's number. To his annoyance, Blaine didn't answer." "Damn it, Blaine. Don't leave me a message like that and ignore your phone. Pick up," Kurt left a voicemail in return.

Pausing on his way to the subway, Kurt decided to hail a cab. It would be faster and he needed to know why Blaine called. He redialed Blaine's number and still got no answer.

The moment the cab pulled up to the curb, Kurt threw some cash at the driver and said, "Keep the change." He bolted for the apartment door, heart beating against his rib cage.

"Blaine?!" he called, scanning the apartment. There was no sign of him in the living room or kitchen. "Blaine?!" Kurt moved toward the bedroom and froze in the doorway. "Babe?" he said quietly.

Sitting on the floor beside the bed, Blaine removed his hands from his pale face and stared blankly at him. "There was a note," he said weakly.

"What?" Kurt knelt down beside him and grabbed his trembling hands. "What are you talking about?"

Eyes darting to the piece of paper on the floor, Blaine said, "it was placed under our door when I got home. It came in a blank envelope."

"What is it?" Kurt felt his heart stop. "Is there information inside it?"

"Read it," Blaine whispered, placing his hands over his face again.

His own hand trembling, Kurt reached for the note and closed his eyes. Whatever was in this note seemed surprising to Blaine and Kurt feared what the contents held. Taking a deep breath, he read:

_$500,000 for the girl_.

The note fell from Kurt's hand and he stared at Blaine with wide eyes. "We don't have that kind of money," he said hoarsely

"She's alive," Blaine said blankly, his arms falling to his side.

"We could never afford that," Kurt shook his head. "I don't know what we're going to do."

"Kurt, she's alive," Blaine sat up straight and stared at him. His face was still really pale. "Isn't that the most important thing we've wanted to know for so long?"

"Yeah but -

"Kurt, I have been imagining her lying in a ditch somewhere for weeks. I have spent the last few weeks feeling like I lost my child," Blaine's voice cracked. Tears began rolling down his cheeks and he said, "I know she might be hurt or scared, but I am so overwhelmed knowing that she's at least alive."

"We don't really know that," Kurt said, staring at the sheet of paper that held his daughter's future. "What if they get the money and split? They might only be telling us they have her."

Getting to his feet, Blaine gave him a shove backward in frustration. It caught Kurt off guard, "Why are you so negative about this all the time? I finally get good news and you're already ruining it for me."

"It's not good news, Blaine!" Kurt said loudly, crumpling up the piece of paper and throwing it on the ground. "They want a lot more money than we could ever afford. For what? Maybe giving us our daughter back. This doesn't prove anything. We don't even know who we're dealing with."

"Who cares how much it is? I'll spend every cent I have to get Belle back," Blaine responded. "I'd spend every cent just trying if it gave me answers."

"This is more than you have," Kurt told him, pointing at the page. "How do you expect to get that kind of money, huh? No one is going to hand it to you," Kurt placed his hands on his hips. "You have to be logical about this."

"So we'll start saving everything we can," Blaine began pacing the room. "We can ask for help."

"What if that took twenty years?" Kurt asked. "Are you going to let her sit in misery for twenty years because we couldn't save her sooner?"

"Or what? Let her go? I'd wait twenty years if it meant I could see her again." Stopping in his tracks, Blaine turned to him and said, "Why is this not a bigger deal to you? I thought you'd be motivated to do something about this."

"This is a big deal," Kurt said firmly. He stepped closer to his husband. "I want this as much as you, but I don't think you realize how impossible this is. We can not afford five hundred thousand dollars. We can't raise that kind of money. We're dealing with someone that knows how to bargain. They aren't going to give up easily."

Lip quivering, Tears rolled down Blaine's cheeks. "I just want her back, Kurt. I'm willing to put up a fight for her."

Pulling Blaine into a hug, Kurt said, "Me too." Knew he there was no point arguing. It'd only make Blaine feel worse. He kissed Blaine, as he wrapped his arms around his shoulders. "We'll work something out."

"Promise?" Blaine whispered.

Nodding, Kurt replied, "The first thing we need to do is take this down to the police station. They'll know what to do. We'll talk to them."

"And we'll let them know that I'm willing to do anything to get my daughter back," Blaine finished.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Hi guys! I am soooo sorry for the delay. This summer has been crazy busy (like meeting Chris Colfer for my third time!) I lost a little motivation for this story, until a reader mentioned that they missed it.) so now I'm back! I'll do my best to update regularly. But please leave feedback if you can. It's honestly the most motivating thing for me to keep this story going... More coming soon! **


	9. Week 9 - With A Little Help

"It was slipped under your door?" Detective Nelson asked a day later.

"Y-Yes," Blaine stuttered, staring at his folded hands on his lap. His anxiety was reaching a high that left his hands shaking.

"No name?" Detective Nelson continued. He stared at the crumpled piece of paper on the desk between them.

"It was just in the envelope," Blaine confirmed. "I walked in the door from work and nearly stepped on it. I didn't open it at first, because I was afraid it would be something like this. I was scared, but it drove me crazy, so I eventually opened it. I called my husband as soon as I read it and we booked a flight right away."

"Why didn't you take it to the police station there?" Detective Nelson asked.

Hesitating, Blaine looked into his eyes and said, "You've been handling our case. I thought you should see it for yourself."

"It never occurred to you that the author of this note could be in New York? How else did the envelope get under your door?" Detective Nelson raised an eyebrow.

"I guess I didn't think about that," Blaine said truthfully. He bit his lip nervously and asked, "Do you think the kidnapper is in New York?"

Shrugging, Detective Nelson said, "I'm not sure what to think. Either he's in New York, had someone deliver the message for him, or he fled back here last night."

"Why would he come here?" Blaine raised an eyebrow. "He wouldn't go all the way to New York to put a note under my door."

Detective Nelson stared at him with a stony expression on his face.

Blaine's jaw dropped, "You don't honestly still think I had something to do with this, do you?"

"Mr. Anderson, I don't know what to think. You were there when Annabelle disappeared. You stayed here when your husband left town. You fled Ohio weeks into the investigation. A note shows up when you're the one that came home to find it. Instead of turning it into the police there, you came here. It's suspicious," the Detective said firmly.

"I didn't do anything! She's my daughter. If I had harmed her, why would I come to you and have my cover blown that easily?" Blaine raised his voice in anger. "Why would I leave a note threatening myself with money I could never get ahold of?"

"I'm not saying you did do it. First and foremost, you are the parent, and you may just be concerned for your child. I'm just saying that circumstances are suspicious. I have my doubts, but I can't arrest you on instinct. I have no evidence," Detrctive Nelson shook his head. Leaning over the desk, he added, "I've see a lot of situations where parents eliminate their child and try to cover it up with a disappearance. Until I have proof that this isn't one of those situations, I'm not convinced."

"Great," Blaine ran a hand through his hair. He felt nauseous.

"I'm on Annabelle's side. It's my job to find her. Until I know more, you're in the clear. I'll do my best to investigate this note, but I have my eye on you, it's my job to consider every option," Detective Nelson warned.

"Okay," Blaine said weakly.

"But now my question' is: What are you and Mr. Hummel going to do about this note?" Detective Nelson waved the note in front of him.

Unsure of his answer, Blaine replied, "I guess all we can do is try to come up with the money. But we don!'t know how to get it to the person."

"If they want their money, they'll find a way to contact you," Detective Nelson told him. "Just be on the lookout for any other information."

"Yes sir," Blaine replied.

Detective Nelson came around the desk and held out a hand, "I'll be in touch, Mr. Anderson. Thank you for your time."

Shaking his hand, Blaine said, "Thank you."

Heading back into the lobby, where Kurt sat on a bench, Blaine knew he couldn't tell Kurt what had happened. He already had so much on his plate.

Kurt rose from the bench and embraced him. "Hey, are you okay? You look so pale."

"I'm fine," Blaine mumbled.

"Do you want to go home? It's been a long couple of days," Kurt cupped his cheek, stroking his skin with his thumb.

"No," Blaine replied. "I just... I think I just need to clear my head. Get out for a while."

"Okay," Kurt said slowly. "Take all the time you need. I'll be at the house trying to come up with a plan." He kissed Blaine and said, "Everything's gonna be fine."

"I'll see you later," Blaine said, before heading out of the police station. He got into the car he borrowed from his mom and drove, unsure of where he was going.

When he pulled up in front of the bar, Blaine stared at the entrance with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew he was making the mistake by going in there, but he so desperately needed to escape from reality...

Sighing, he climbed out of the car and slowly walked toward the building. He sat at his usual seat and ordered his first beer.

Belle consumed every thought he had. He ached for her so much that he felt like he could barely breathe. Knowing that she was out there, somewhere, gave him the endless desire to hold her and tell her how sorry he was for not protecting her.

"Hey, you're back in town!" Dave's voice rang in Blaine's ear, pulling him from his thoughts, causing him to slip beer down the front of his shirt.

"Oh, yeah, I am," Blaine took a swig from his bottle to cover up his mistake. "Don't think I'm leaving either."

"That's good news," Dave said. "Who needs the big city anyway, huh?"

"That's what I'm starting to wonder," Blaine replied. He still had the urge to settle in Ohio until Belle was found. Sure, someone involved had been in New York and had known where they lived but that didn't mean Belle was there.

Did it?

"What's got you down," Dave bumped him with his elbow. "You don't seem any happier since the last time I saw you. Still can't find your daughter?"

Shaking his head, Blaine turned to face him, "nope. They want a large sum of money for her and I can't afford it."

"Woah. That sucks," Dave frowned. "Is there anything the police can do to help you?"

Blaine shrugged, "I doubt it. We have to come up with the money. All they can do is investigate the situation. That's all they have been doing and it's gotten us nowhere."

Clapping a hand on his shoulder, Dave said, "These things take time. They'll figure it out."

"I hope so," Blaine mumbled.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Dave asked.

"Not unless you can come up with five hundred thousand dollars," Blaine finished his beer. "Otherwise I don't think there's anything you can do."

"I can't come up with that much but I can do this," Dave reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He fumbled through his cash until he pulled out a fifth dollar bill. Sliding it across the bar to him, Dave said, "It's not much but it's fifty dollars closer than you were a minute ago."

Blaine stared at the cash in his hand. "I can't accept this," he said, sliding it back toward Dave. "I don't know you that well."

"Hey, that's not true," Dave pushed it away. "I've sat here and listened to your detailed drunken thoughts. I've given you rides home when you're too drunk to walk. I think I know you better than you think."

Blaine blushed, feeling foolish. "And you're still hanging around?"

Shrugging, Dave replied, "I like you. You seem like a decent guy, Blaine. I want to help. You deserve to have your daughter back. Let me just give this much."

"Thank you," Blaine said quietly, pocketing the cash. "I really appreciate it."

"Will you do me a favor in return?" Dave asked. When Blaine raised his eyebrows at this, he suggested, "Go home before you get too drunk again. I've already given you money. You can't expect me to give a ride too."

Nodding, Blaine said, "I think that's probably a good idea." He stood up and held out a hand toward Dave, "Thanks again."

Shaking his hand, Dave replied, "Don't mention it."

* * *

"What are you doing?" Blaine asked Kurt the following afternoon.

Sitting at the kitchen table, Kurt's head was in his hands and a notebook was sitting before him full of numbers across the page.

"Trying to come up with a solution," Kurt said. "Trying to budget what we can save after we pay our bills every month." Taking his hands away from his face, he sighed heavily, "At the most, we might get three hundred a month. It would take us years to get anywhere."

"Unless we had a cheaper place to live," Blaine said, placing his hands on Kurt's shoulders and gently massaging them.

"You're not implying that we find a smaller place, are you?" Kurt said, letting out a soft groan. "Aren't we dealing with enough right now?"

"Kurt, no matter where you live in New York, you're going to be paying a lot of money," Blaine informed him. "If we moved out of the city, we could save so much more money."

"I told you I'm not giving up my job. I know you're just trying to move back here and it's not going to work," Kurt shrugged his hands off in anger.

"Alright, Mr. Negativity, do you have a better idea how to save more money every month?" Blaine crossed his arms over his chest. "Three hundred dollars isn't going to get us very far."

Tapping his fingers on the table, Kurt said, "I don't know! I'm just trying to get by without losing everything we have! If we give up our home, our jobs, and our friends, what will we have anymore?" He rose from his chair and faced Blaine. His icy blue eyes were full of rage. "I don't know if I can take losing much more."

"I would rather give up everything to get Belle back sooner," Blaine retorted. "She's more important to me than my job or my apartment."

"She's more important to me too but it doesn't make it easier to leave everything behind," Kurt replied. "We'd have to find new jobs and we might not get paid as much as we do now. It might not save us anything."

"What if we moved to New Jersey and commuted every day? It's not Ohio but it's not New York either," Blaine suggested. "I know you love New York but right now, we need to think about Belle first."

Letting out a long sigh, Kurt sat down once more and covered his face again. "I don't know what to do," he admitted. "Belle wouldn't know where to find us."

"Someone has her. She's not going anywhere to look for us. We have to go to her," Blaine said. "At least we'd still have good paying jobs."

For a long moment, Kurt didn't say anything. He lowered his hands to look at Blaine. Their eyes met and he slowly nodded, "I guess New Jersey's not that far..."

"I can't force you to do this though," Blaine reminded him.

Taking a deep breath, Kurt said, "No, I know. But you are right. We need the money."

"Does that mean we're moving?" Blaine asked hopefully.

"It means that I'll think about it. I'm not thrilled, but it would save us on money," Kurt replied. "Let's just wait until we get home before we make any decisions."

Hesitating, Blaine added, "We might want to confirm it with Detective Nelson as well. He might not be thrilled about it either."

* * *

Burt and Carole came out the door to greet them as soon as the car pulled into the driveway. "We are so happy to see you!" Carole called, embracing Kurt.

"That's right," Burt hugged Blaine. He then moved to Kurt while Carole turned to greet Blaine.

"This family has been through so much. With Kurt's mom, Finn's dad, Finn, Blaine's dad, and now... Belle, we really want to treasure the time we have with you guys," Carole kissed his cheek.

Kurt winced at the comment and Blaine felt his heart ache for his husband. Really, Kurt had been through so much in his lifetime. This wasn't fair. How much more could he lose? Was Blaine wrong to take him from New York? Kurt had worked so hard to leave the pain from his past behind in Ohio. It almost felt wrong to do this to him.

"Come in, please. It's freezing out here," Carole wrapped her arm around Blaine's waist and guided him inside the house. She went to work in the kitchen, throwing her teapot on the stove and placing a bowl of fruit on the table. "Are you hungry? I can whip something up."

"No, mom, we're fine," Kurt said.

She smiled, like she so often did when Kurt called her mom. "If you're sure.."

"Positive," Blaine confirmed.

"Any news on Belle's case?" Burt asked, getting out mugs for tea.

Kurt and Blaine exchanged uncomfortable glances, before Kurt folded his hands on the table and admitted, "They left a note. They want money."

"How much?" Burt asked.

"It's nothing, dad. We can handle it," Kurt told him.

"How much?" Burt said forcefully.

Closing his eyes, Kurt said, "Five hundred thousand."

The sound of a coffee mug shattering on the floor made Kurt jump. Burt stared at his son with an open mouth. "You're not serious."

"I wish I wasn't," Kurt whispered, shaking his head.

Turning to face Carole, Burt said, "How much do we have in our savings?"

Kurt's jaw dropped, "Dad, no."

"Maybe two thousand," Carole offered. "We were still saving up for our trip to Hawaii."

"Absolutely not," Kurt stomped his foot. "We're not taking any money from friends and family. It's too much to ask of you."

Walking over to his son, Burt placed a hand on his shoulders and firmly said, "Kurt, this is my granddaughter's life we're talking about. We were only saving money for a trip we wanted to take on our anniversary but Belle is more important. There's no question about it. You're taking the money."

Fumbling through her purse on the counter, Carole pulled out a checkbook and a pen. She filled out the check and handed it to Blaine. "We so desperately want to help. I'm sure a lot of your friends do. It feels good to make a difference."

Staring at the check, Blaine quietly said, "There's really no words to thank you for this. It means so much to us."

Carole came over and gave him a hug, "If we could give more, we would."

"No, this is already too much," Kurt replied. "I know I can't change your mind, so thank you."

"We'll get her back, don't worry," Carole said. "We'll find ways to raise money."

Kurt and Blaine exchanged another glance, not sure if they should tell Kurt's parents that they were thinking about giving up their home for their daughter.

"Do you really think our friends would be willing to help? Is it wrong to ask for money?" Blaine asked, wondering if he could avoid taking Kurt from his home.

Carole shrugged, "it's worth a shot. People like when they can feel important. They often want to make a difference and your friends love you. Don't be afraid to ask."

"Well, we're two thousand dollars closer. We only have 998,000 to go," Kurt said. "Maybe it couldn't hurt to ask for help."

Blaine felt his stomach turn. When he put it like that, two thousand dollars hardly seemed to make a dent. How were they going to raise that much more money?

"When are you guys going back to New York?" Burt changed the subject. "You can stay here as long as you'd like."

"I think we'll stay here for a day or two. I think I have a plan to help us, and then we really do need to get home," Kurt told him. He wrapped his arm around Blaine's waist and smiled weakly.

* * *

**Group Message**:

_Emergency Glee club meeting. If you're in Ohio, and if you can attend, meet me in the auditorium tomorrow at 4 P.M. sharp_.

Every once in a while, when someone from their high school glee club had a problem, they would reach out to their friends and get together for a solution to the problem. Everyone had made the promise to be there for each other and they took that promise seriously.

Kurt wasn't sure who would show up, but he sent all of his friends the text message, except for Rachel and Sam. There was no need to include them, because they could talk when Kurt and Blaine returned to New York.

"What is this about?" Santana Lopez entered the auditorium at 3:49 the next day. Behind her, Brittany followed carrying a five-year-old boy on her hip. "We didn't have enough time to get a sitter so we had to bring Carlos with us."

"That's okay. No one will mind," Blaine replied, sitting on the edge of the stage, his hands folded in his lap.

"Really, because I brought my own luggage with me," Tina Cohen-Chang's voice came from the back of the auditorium. Mike Chang, came in behind her, holding the hands of a six-year-old girl and a five-year-old girl. Tina followed closely behind carrying a two-year-old boy uncomfortably due to her large pregnant belly. She slowly made her way down the stairs to the auditorium. When she reached the stage, Tina set the boy on the ground and leaned against the wall. Rubbing her belly, she huffed, "I should have come in a different door."

"Tina asked me to help with her kids," Mike chimed. "Alex couldn't make it," he referred to Tina's husband. "I just arrived in town for a family reunion when you sent that message yesterday."

"Tina, you look gorgeous!" Kurt peeped, heading over to greet her. He helped her up the stairs to the stage. Grabbing a chair for her, he said, "When are you due?"

"Two weeks," she rolled her eyes. "I feel like a walking whale. I started showing faster this time, so I feel huge at this point. I guess four kids will do that to you."

"Are you seeing anyone, Mike?" Kurt asked, hugging his other friend. "Or is your dance studio keeping you occupied?"

Shrugging, Mike said, "There's a girl I've been seeing for a few months now but we're not that serious yet."

"Chicago's a big place. If it doesn't work out, you'll find someone," he smiled reassuringly.

Out of the corner of his eye, Blaine saw his best friend from Dalton walk in. He stood up to greet him, "Wes! It's been so long." He didn't fit in with the McKinley kids as well, so it was nice when Wes, David, or Trent came to a meeting.

Pretty soon, they had a full circle seated on the floor of the stage, other than Tina. Santana, Brittany, Tina, Mike, Quinn, Wes, Tremt, Kurt, Blaine, and even Will sat in silence, waiting to see if anyone else would show.

"I think this is it," Kurt sighed. Mercedes and Artie are in Los Angeles, Sam and Rachel are in Nee York, and Puck is too occupied with the Army. Let's get started."

"Yeah, what's going on?" Quinn raised an eyebrow.

"Actually... hang on," Kurt held out his phone. "I'm getting a Skype call... Hi guys." He waved eagerly at his phone screen. "So glad you could join us."

"Hey, is everyone there?" Mercedes asked, her voice coming through the phone.

"Yeah," Kurt nodded, moving his arm to show them the room.

"Hey y'all," Artie called, sitting in his wheelchair next to Mercedes. "We're both really busy but we wanted to take the time to see what's going on."

"What's this about, baby?" Mercedes sounded concerned.

"Did we tell you guys that we're expecting? We think Rachel's about nine weeks," Blaine informed the group.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Tina exclaimed, rubbing her own belly. "That's so exciting."

"Congrats!" Quinn smiled warmly.

"Are you sure Barbra can handle blowing up like a balloon again?" Santana smirked. "She could barely keep herself together last time."

Kurt narrowed his eyes, giving Santana his best bitch-face. "Rachel went through a really difficult time during our last pregnancy." He hesitated before continuing, "But we're having a hard time this pregnancy too... Actually, this is much worse."

"What's wrong?" Will asked, leaning forward. It was refreshing that Kurt's old teacher was still involved in their lives. It put Kurt at ease after Santana's remark.

Taking a deep breath, Kurt said, "Our daughter Belle disappeared a few weeks ago."

"What?"

"What do you mean?"

"Disappeared?"

"What?! What happened?"

The room exploded with everyone's reactions. Kurt held up a hand to silence the group. "Guys, I know this is crazy. Trust me. It still feels unbelievable to me."

Will placed a hand on Kurt's shoulder and asked, "is there anything we can do to help?"

"That's why we're here," Blaine said. "We didn't want to sound desperate or make our friends and family feel like they have to contribute but we wanted to give you the opportunity."

"We were threatened with a ransom fee of five hundred thousand dollars," Kurt continued. "At first, Blaine and I didn't want to beg for money. But it came up in conversation with my dad and Carole. They offered to help and explained that people feel helpful about doing something for a good cause."

"We aren't telling you that you have to donate," Blaine said. "Please don't feel like you have to, but we're giving you the opportunity to do so if you want to, even a small portion."

"And if you can't, we were hoping you'd at least help spread the word about her disappearance," Kurt reached over and grabbed Blaine's hand, squeezing it. "The more people that know, the better."

"Don't feel like you have to make a decision now either. I mean, we're not going to come up with the money in two weeks, so you have time to decide," Blaine said, getting to his feet.

The rest of the group got to their feet. Will gave Kurt a reassuring pat on the back. "I'm really sorry about this, Kurt," he said quietly. "I'm going to talk to Emma and see what we can come up with. I can't imagine losing Finn or Luke. I'll be in touch as soon as I talk to my wife."

"Thank you, Mr. Schue," Kurt whispered. Blaine noticed his husband was fighting back tears and if caused him to do the same.

Mike helped Tina out of her chair and she approached Blaine. "I wish I could help. I really do but we're so tight on expenses right now." She glanced down at her belly, cradling it, and sighed, "There's just so much to having three kids and with a fourth on the way, I can't really help."

"It's okay, Tina," Blaine smiled reassuringly. He placed his hand on hers and said, "You're a great mother and it's important that you and Alex look after your own family. If you could just spread the word, it'd help us so much."

"I can do that," she smiled.

"Yeah, I wish I could help too but you know how expensive it is living in a big city," Mike frowned.

A hand on his shoulder caused Blaine to jump. Wes smiled warmly and told his friend, "I think I can hand over a hundred. I'm a bit tight myself but here..." He dug into his pocket and pulled out a red wallet. Fumbling through it, Wes grabbed five twenties and handed them to Blaine. "I wish I could help more."

"This is perfect. Thank you, Wes," Blaine hugged his friend once more.

"I wish I could say the same but I'm broke," Trent said. "I'm really sorry, B."

"That's okay, I understand," Blaine replied.

"Hello?" Mercedes voice came from Kurt's phone. "We're still here guys."

"Oh, sorry," Kurt held up the phone to see his friends. "Do you know what you're going to do? Please don't feel like you have to give anything."

"Baby, I will have a check in the mail by tomorrow. I love your little cutie," Mercedes said.

"Yeah, I'll see what I can do," Artie agreed.

"Thank you so much," Kurt said, unable to stop his tears now.

"We'll help too," Brittany said. "Santana and I have a couple hundred saved we can give you. Right, babe?" Brittany nudged her wife with her elbow and Santana agreed.

"I can't donate but I wish you the best of luck," Quinn said, patting Kurt's shoulder.

"It's okay. We weren't expecting too much from anyone," Kurt said quietly. "The fact that you all came today means so much to me." He turned to face Blaine and whispered, "I just wish we weren't so far from our goal."

Kissing Kurt's cheek, Blaine wiped a tear with his thumb. "It's okay. We're slightly closer to our goal and that's all we can really ask." Compared to the amount of money they still had to collect, it didn't seem like much. But their friends and family were so helpful, that it gave Blaine hope for the first time in weeks


	10. Week 10 - From My Friends

"Hey, handsome," Mercedes' voice came through the phone three days later. She sounded a little too perky for Kurt's liking.

"It's too much," Kurt said bluntly, staring at the check in his hand.

"It's not all mine. Artie donated five hundred of it. Baby, it's okay. He's a director. I'm a multi-platinum recording artist. I have the money to give up."

"Four thousand dollars?" Kurt raised an eyebrow.

"I could give you more but I also donate to other charities," Mercedes simply said, like it wasn't a big deal.

"I can't accept four thousand from you and five hundred from Artie," Kurt replied. "Take some of it back."

"Not gonna happen," Mercedes laughed. "Consider it my payment for leaving your ass behind in New York, when you swore I couldn't leave you."

"That's not the same thing," Kurt mumbled.

"I don't really care," Mercedes snapped. His tone became more serious and she said, "look, Kurt, five hundred thousand dollars is a lot of money. You and Blaine aren't going to get there on your own. This is the least I can do."

"Well, thank you," he said sincerely. "Blaine and I really appreciate it. I'll never be able to thank you enough for this."

"Of course," Mercedes replied. "Listen, I can't really talk long. I'm on a break in the studio. Can we talk more about this later?"

"Sure. Love you," Kurt said, hanging up the phone., he set the check on the kitchen table and moved toward Belle's closed bedroom door. Reaching for the handle, Kurt closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before he opened the door.

The room was still perfectly clean. He hadn't been in the room at all, after his first time in there. It was too much to handle. But Kurt was feeling so empty without Belle. He just needed to be near her in the best way he could.

Sitting down on the bed, Kurt stared at the picture on her night stand and ran his fingertips along the edge of it. Yes, they were getting donations, but was it ever going to be enough? A day without Belle felt like an eternity. How many more days did did they have to suffer through?

"We're gonna get you back soon," he whispered. "Stay strong for me." He felt his lip quiver and decided to lay back on the bed. Hugging her pillow, Kurt buried his face in it and took a deep breath, consuming himself in her scent. Tears began falling from his eyes and, this time, he didn't try to stop them. There had been so many times that Kurt had to stop himself from breaking down. He hated how weak he had felt since Belle's disappearance, especially when he had to be strong for his husband. But this time, Blaine wasn't here, so Kurt let the sobs wrack his body until he felt his body go limp.

Even then, he didn't move. He couldn't move. He felt so hopeless.

The front door opened some time later. By then, it was dark outside. "Babe? Are you home?" Blaine's voice called from the living room.

Sitting bolt upright, Kurt listened. He heard Blaine set his keys down on the kitchen table. He probably saw the check sitting there. Kurt got up from the bed and rushed to the bedroom door. He quietly shut it, just as Blaine said, "Holy shit."

Moving into his bedroom, Kurt dodged into the bathroom and splashed cold water on his tear-stained face. He looked at his pale expression in the mirror and sighed. Blaine was going to notice that he looked weary.

"Oh, you are here," Blaine smiled, entering the bathroom. Blaine looked rather tired himself. He had been looking tired for a while. Blaine narrowed his eyes at Kurt, leaning on the sink. "I called for you."

"Didn't hear you, sorry," Kurt lied.

"I found the check from Mercedes. Can you believe she sent that much?" Blaine's voice had a happier tone to it than usual. He stepped forward and kissed Kurt. "I feel like we could actually make this happen."

"We still have a long way to go," Kurt commented, instantly regretting it.

The negative comment caused Blaine to frown. "Just once, Kurt, I wish you could enjoy something with me. Come on, we have a lot more money than I thought we would by now."

"Geez. I'm not trying to be negative, Blaine," Kurt said hotly. "I'm just trying to be realistic. Yes, we have a few thousand, and that makes me so happy, but we still have so far to go."

"I just don't want to focus on how much is left. I just want to be grateful that we have people in our lives that are kind enough to help us in a crisis," Blaine replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm grateful for that too," Kurt threw his hands in the air in exasperation. "It's just that... You don't - You don't understand how I'm feeling."

"Really? Because last time I checked, Belle is my daughter too. I think I know exactly how you're feeling, because I'm in pain too, Kurt," Blaine shot back.

"I know that!" Kurt yelled, slamming his fist on the sink. "Don't you think I know that this has been hard for both of us? That doesn't mean we have the same emotions. I know that you've been coming home drunk on nights you're out later than I expect you to be. I know that you've been keeping yourself closed off because you suddenly can't talk to me about things. And I know that you've been texting someone a lot more than usual, because I keep wondering why you talk to someone else when you should be coming to me with your problems," His voice cracked. Tears sprung to his eyes once more and Kurt cursed himself for breaking in front of Blaine.

"This isn't all my fault!" Blaine yelled. "You keep yourself closed off too. How am I supposed to talk to you when I don't know how to approach you? You've been different since Belle disappeared."

"I've always tried to hide my emotions. That's nothing new. Don't turn this on me, Blaine Anderson. You're the one who's been acting strange since it happened." He stepped closer. "Why are you resorting to drinking? You know how much I hate that. You know I've been sensitive to drinking since that drunk driver hit Finn's car and..." he trailed off, images of the night Finn died flooded his mind.

"This isn't about Finn. I'm not trying to hurt you. It's just my way of dealing with this," Blaine pulled at his curly hair with trembling hands. "I can't drown myself in my work the way you do, because those damn kids with their problems only remind me that my daughter has problems a lot worse than half those kids. I hate my job. It's a constant reminder of Belle. I can't help that when I'm done, I just want to forget that my chest hurts."

"I didn't know you hated your job so much. How am I supposed to know that when you won't talk to me?" Kurt snapped, hands on his hips. "If would just talk to me - "

"And what? Tell you that I'm so miserable that I can't stand this any more. I don't know what to do," Blaine cried. "I don't know how to talk to you about this because we're both out of our minds from fear."

" I still want you to talk to me! I'm your husband. We're supposed to be coping with this together," Kurt said. "We shouldn't be pushing each otter away. It only makes matters worse."

"We're too late for that, aren't we?" Blaine said in a hollow tone. "All we've been doing is pushing each other away."

"Can't we change that?" Kurt begged. Stepping closer, he placed his hands on Blaine's shoulders and met his eyes. "I just... I can't lose you too, Blaine and I feel like you're slipping away from me."

Blaine remained silent for a moment, before he shrugged and admitted, "Kurt, I don't know what to do anymore."

Feeling his heart drop to his stomach, Kurt wished he could make Blaine see that they had to fix this. They couldn't keep pushing each other away. "So where does that leave us?"

Biting his lip, Blaine pushed his hands away and admitted, "I need time. I'm just - I'm lost in my head right now and I think you're crowding my space a little."

Taking a step backward, Kurt felt like he couldn't breathe. He took a moment to catch his breath, before he nodded, and said, "Fine. Um... Okay. If that's how you feel."

"Kurt," Blaine said firmly.

"No, I get it. I feel the same way. I'll - uh - I'll give you space," he brushed past Blaine and moved into the bedroom. Grabbing his phone charger off the night stand, Kurt darted from the apartment without a glance back.

* * *

"Kurt?" Rachel's soft voice came from his left. She sat down on the couch next to him with a cup of tea in her hand. "You've been here for two days and you've barely spoken to me. Do you wanna talk about what happened?"

Kurt sighed heavily, taking the cup of tea from her. "I just don't know where I went wrong with him. I didn't know he'd push me away."

"What do you mean, sweetie?" she asked, placing a hand on his knee. "I'm a little out of the loop. You showed up here two days ago and only told me that you couldn't be with Blaine right now."

Shaking his head, Kurt stared at his mug and said, "Things have been building up for a while. There's no communication. I feel like he's shutting me out. And then he has these crazy ideas like wanting to move. He suddenly hates our life: his job, New York."

"Blaine wants to leave New York? You're not serious, are you?" Panic filled her eyes and she asked, "What about me? What about the... the baby?"

Placing a hand on the small bump of her belly, Kurt frowned, "I guess we'll have to cross that bridge when it gets here. I don't want to leave New York, Rachel. I built a life here because I was miserable in Ohio. We have everything we need right here."

"You just don't have Belle," Rachel concluded. "And that's something neither of you can live without."

"Yeah," Kurt nodded. "She's the reason he wants to go back. We lost her there, so I think he's hoping we'll find her there. It just seems so far-fetched after we found that note here."

"So what happens if you're on two different ends of this idea?" Rachel asked.

Kurt shrugged hopelessly, "Blaine is not in the right frame of mind right now. He's not thinking straight and I don't know what to do."

Squeezing his hand, Rachel smiled weakly, "Sam and I are here for you guys. We love you and Belle very much. I'll see if I can get Sam to talk to Blaine. And if that doesn't work, I'll talk to him."

"Thank you, Rachel," Kurt whispered. He gave his best friend a hug, "You are truly the best. I'd be lost without you."

"Aw, of course. You know I'm always going o be here for you," she kissed his cheek.

"I know and that's one of the many reasons why I love you," he replied. "Enough about me. How are you? Are you still pretty nauseous?"

"All the time," Rachel scrunched up her face. "It's been awful. I'm throwing up a lot more than I ever did with Belle."

"I'm sorry, lady," he frowned, rubbing her thigh gently. "I feel awful that we're putting you through this again. I did mention that you didn't have to, right?"

"Only a dozen times," Rachel laughed. "I told you that I wanted to do it again. Sam and I aren't getting married any time soon, so at least someone can blow me up. I mean, he can't now anyway because I'm already there but we haven't... done it in a while anyway."

"You guys aren't...?" Kurt trailed off.

Shaking her head, Rachel said, "he's been really distant lately. I don't know if it was the talk of pregnancy before or the fact that I am pregnant that turns him off. Unless he's unhappy for another reason.

"Maybe," Kurt shrugged. "Don't worry, Sam loves you. Give him time."

"You mean once I'm not as big as a house?" Rachel pouted, motioning to her nearly flat stomach, causing Kurt to chuckle.

"I don't know," Kurt said, not wanting to admit that her pregnancy might be a problem in their relationship. At the time Kurt and Blaine made the choice to have a baby, Sam said he was fine with it. Had he changed his mind? Kurt hated the thought of Rachel getting hurt again because of something he did.

"Maybe you should tell him how you feel," Kurt suggested, shrugging.

"Yeah, right," Rachel said, tears forming in her eyes. "My emotions have been everywhere and I don't think Sam knows how to handle it. I can't control how I feel and I'm so scared for Belle. I've been a wreck and I think Sam is overwhelmed."

"You know what we need?" Kurt said, standing up. "I think we need to treat ourselves. Let's go get a massage, grab dinner, and go see a musical."

"I'm not sure I want to hit Broadway. It'll only remind me that I'm currently unemployed," Rachel pouted, rubbing her stomach.

"But you just came off a great run! You'll get back into it as soon as the baby comes, I promise, sweetie," Kurt cupped her cheek and brushed a tear away. "At least let me feel like I can do something useful."

"Okay," she sighed. "But I wouldn't do it for just anyone, so feel special."

* * *

Kurt still hadn't confronted Rachel and Sam about the ransom fee. He didn't want to give Rachel another reason to worry. She had enough on her plate, and Kurt was nervous to do it without Blaine. However, giving Blaine space meant that he had hardly spleen to his husband.

But things changed when Blaine shot Kurt a text message two days later.

**(4:06) Blaine:**_ Will sent a check for $1700. Just so you know._

**(4:12) Kurt:**_ That's great! I'll give him a call and thank him._

**(4:17) Blaine:** _I really am sorry about the other day_.

**(4:23) Kurt:**_ I know you are but I also know you were right. I'll be home tomorrow and we can talk._

He then dialed the number of his former teacher, who didn't respond. Leaving a voicemail, Kurt said, "Hi, Mr. Schue, it's Kurt. I just wanted to thank you for your donation. It's really more than I expected and it's so greatly appreciated. If you don't mind, call me back so I can properly thank you."

"What donation?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing," Kurt set his phone down, glancing over at Sam, who had just entered the apartment.

"Ah, more secrets. Think Rachel will forgive you this time?" Sam asked.

"For what?" Rachel came in behind Sam. She set her purse and her coat on the kitchen table and frowned. Hands on her hips, she glanced between Sam and Kurt and ordered, "Don't keep things from me to protect me. Tell me what's wrong."

Running a hand over his face, Kurt said, "You might want to sit down for this."

Sam and Rachel exchanged nervous glances, before they took a seat at the table and linked hands. "Talk, Hummel," Rachel snapped.

Sitting down across from them, Kurt started, "Please know that Blaine and I were going to tell you. We just haven't had a chance."

"No excuses. Give it to me straight," Rachel said.

"A note was slipped under our door with a ransom fee for Belle," Kurt told them. "They want five hundred thousand dollars. Blaine and.i didn't want to bother our friends and family, but my dad and Carole told us that people feel good about contributing to a good cause for people they love. We approached the glee club when we went to Ohio. Mr. Schue, Mercedes, and some of the others offered to help."

"Holy shit," Sam mumbled after a long pause, his eyes as wide as saucers.

The room was silent for another long moment. Rachel began crying and buried her face in her hands. Sam rubbed her back soothingly and whispered, "it's gonna be okay."

Rachel started hitting Sam's arm and cried, "Don't tell me it's gonna be okay. This is a disaster. Things just keep getting worse!"

"At least we have help. We'll get there. It might just take time," Kurt said unconvincingly. He looked to Sam for help.

"Yeah? How much do you have?" Sam said bitterly, clearly not ready to help him.

"Only a few thousand," Kurt admitted.

It only made Rachel cry harder. She buried her face in Sam's shoulder, as her body trembled in his arms. Her sobs filled the silence and Kurt wasn't sure how to proceed.

"We'll contribute," Sam finally said. "I think we can pull a little bit together. I wish we could give more but with Rachel not working, we're a little tight."

"If I h-had j-just kept my job a little longer," Rachel hiccuped. She sat up and rubbed her red eyes. "I'm so sorry, Kurt."

"It's not your fault," Kurt said quietly, shaking his head. "We made arrangements. We all came to the conclusion that your run had to end when this happened. Your director understood."

"I still feel guilty," she grumbled, studying her fingernails.

"Rachel, we only expect people to give what they can. Yes, we might have to wait a while but we're going to get her back," he reassured her. Kurt's confidence surprised him, as much as it surprised his friends. They stared at him with uncertainty. "We'll do our best," Kurt shrugged.

"We'll help any way we can," Sam nodded. "We're family. We'll find a way to make this work, no matter what happens."


	11. Week 11 - Communication

$491,350 Blaine calculated for the third time, writing it down on a sheet of paper. Staring at the number, he sighed heavily, "We've hardly made a dent. We only have 8,350 dollars."

"That's after the three hundred I put in savings today. I wish we could have put away more. I got $8,300. Where did you get the extra fifty from?" Kurt asked, peering over his shoulder to study his notes.

Hesitating, Blaine said, "Oh, um, just a friend I ran into last time I was in Ohio. I talked to him about our situation and he offered to contribute." Blaine tried to sound casual, since he hadn't mentioned Dave to Kurt.

"You didn't tell me about this. Why wouldn't you mention that?" Kurt raised an eyebrow. "Who's your friend?"

"It's... no one. Just some guy I met at the bar. You know, it doesn't even matter. I haven't talked to him since," he crumpled up his sheet of paper. By the look on Kurt's face, Blaine knew this wasn't going to go well.

"Some random guy you met at a bar gave you money for our daughter?" Kurt placed his hands on his hips. "Isn't that kind of suspicious? Why did you accept it?"

"We need the money. Why wouldn't I accept it?" Blaine tossed the crumpled up piece of paper across the room. "How could I turn it down?"

"But you don't know him?" Kurt questioned.

"What? No... I mean, he's really nice. We started talking a couple different times I went to the bar and he felt really bad about the situation," Blaine rubbed his tired eyes. "I'm not cheating on you or anything. We're just friends." He wasn't going to mention that he had drunkenly let Dave kiss him, especially because he had been too drunk to remember.

"Don't get defensive. I wasn't accusing you of cheating. It's just strange..." Kurt hesitated, as he began pacing the room. "You said you haven't talked since we were there?"

"Maybe a little," Blaine said slowly. Kurt gave him his best bitch-face and Blaine slapped a hand on the table, feeling his anger rise. "I needed someone to talk to and you weren't around. You came back here because your job was more important. Dave's a nice guy. Is it wrong to have friends? Don't you have any guy friends other than Sam?"

Kurt stared at him for a long moment with a guilty expression on his face, before he quietly said, "I recently started talking to Elliot Gilbert."

"Who's that?" Blaine asked, feeling more frustrated as this conversation went on. This was not going well.

"Apparently some big musician we've never heard of," Kurt shrugged. "Sam knows who he is, I guess. I met him in a coffee shop and he was really friendly. Sam and I went to his show a couple weeks ago."

"So why is it okay for you to talk to Elliot, if I can't talk to Dave?" Blaine said hotly, raising his voice. "You didn't exactly tell me about him either.. You're being a hypocrite."

"I just didn't know a stranger gave you money," Kurt shot back. "It's different. We discussed this, Blaine. We aren't going to beg people for money. Did you ask him for it?"

"I didn't beg him. In fact, Dave forced it on me. I told him no, but he just wanted to help. What is so wrong with that?" Blaine balled his hands into fists.

"Because I don't see why someone would offer up money that quickly to someone they hardly know. This doesn't weird you out at all?" Kurt stopped in his tracks and stared at his husband.

"You know, we still have thousands of dollars to go. I figured it didn't hurt to take fifty dollars from someone who offered it," Blaine told him. His voice cracked as he said, "We are never going to earn this money on our own. We need all the help we can get."

Kurt sat down and placed his hand on top of Blaine's. He sighed, "You're right. I'm sorry. We have to be open to all possibilities. I didn't know about this, so it's suspicious. I guess I shouldn't jump to conclusions. I don't even know the guy."

"I just didn't want to freak you out, because I was afraid you'd think there was more going on or whatever. He's really just a nice person I met," Blaine said quietly. "You're already under enough pressure. I didn't want to make it a bigger deal than it was. I hate fighting with you."

"Me too... We really do need to be open about everything and discuss it rather than argue," Kurt said. He leaned forward, resting his forehead on Blaine's. "I'm so sorry about all of this."

"I'm sorry too," Blaine kissed him gently. "You're right. We need to get through this together. We already have so much on our plates."

"Like this issue of you hating your job? We still haven't brought that up," Kurt sat back in his chair and studied Blaine's face. "Are you thinking of leaving your job?"

Sighing, Blaine stared at the crumpled up piece of paper on the floor, thinking about their money situation. It was more important to save money for Belle. If he did quit his job, how was he going to make that kind of money? He slowly shook his head and said, "No, I don't think so. I was just feeling really overwhelmed that day."

"Will you talk to me before you make that kind of decision?" Kurt asked quietly. "That kind of decision affects this family and I don't think we can afford to lose anything right now, including your job."

"Yes. We're a family, and we need to start acting like one," Blaine reassured his husband.

* * *

Gripping his coffee cup tightly, Blaine stared at the door to the coffee shop. He didn't know why he was nervous to meet Kurt's friend. They had agreed that they would make the situation easier by meeting their friends, but Blaine was still unsure about all of it.

"Why are you so nervous? It's fine. Elliot is really nice," Kurt reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "I think it'll be good for you to meet him."

"Yeah..." Blaine hesitated. "I mean, I'm not nervous... Not - not really."

"Blaine," Kurt narrowed his eyes at him. "I've been married to you for almost eight years. I think I can tell when you're nervous about something. It's in your eyes and your posture."

"Oh," Blaine loosened his grip on the cup and gave his shoulders a shrug to release the tension. "Sorry. You're right. It'll be fine."

"Here he is," Kurt stood up. He greeted the man that approached their table. Looking like he was going to give Elliot a hug, Kurt stopped and shook his hand. "Elliot this is my husband, Blaine Anderson. Blaine, this is Elliot Gilbert."

"Nice to meet you," Elliot held out his hand. The guy seemed pretty normal. Blaine told himself their was nothing to worry about.

"Likewise," Blaine said half-heartedly, shaking Elliot's hand, before returning his grip on the coffee cup.

Pulling up a chair from the next table, Elliot sat down on it, folded his hands on the table, and grinned, "So this is fun. I've heard a lot about you, Blaine."

" all good things, I hope," Blaine said. He felt slightly better knowing that Kurt had let Elliot know he was married.

"Yeah, of course. Kurt told me about your daughter as well. I'm so sorry that happened," Elliot said sincerely. "If there's anything I can do to help, let me know."

"No, thanks. We're handling the situation," Blaine said shortly. He caught a warning look from Kurt and cleared his throat. "It's just kind of personal."

"Sure," Elliot nodded. "Kurt told me about the ransom few. That's awful."

"Hmm," Blaine hummed, feeling uncomfortable that Kurt had opened up to this guy. Blaine had to remind himself that he did the same thing with Dave.

"We'll get through it though. We're trying to pull some money together," Kurt offered. "I'm thinking maybe we should do a fundraiser or something."

"Can I help?" Elliot asked.

"No, that's too much. We hardly know you. It wouldn't be fair," Blaine said, reminding himself to loosen his grip before he smashed the cup. He was growing more irritated with Elliot by the minute.

Kurt's eyes shot daggers in Blaine's direction. "We accept donations but we don't require them. If you want to help, please do. Just don't feel like you have to."

"I'll get back to you on that," Elliot nodded. "I'll see what I can pull together."

Drumming his fingers on the table, Blaine felt really uncomfortable. He wasn't sure how he felt about Elliot knowing so much. He had told Dave some but not everything. "I should get to work," he finally said.

"Ah, so soon?" Elliot said softly, as he tapped the table. "Can't you stay a little longer? We're just getting started."

Standing up, Blaine shrugged, "Duty calls." He walked over to the trash can and pitched his cup. Turning back to the table, he said, "It was nice meeting you." Leaning over to kiss Kurt, to make a point to Elliot, Blaine said, "I'll see you at home, babe."

"Actually, let me walk with you," Kurt quickly got to his feet. "It is getting late. I've gotta get to Vogue. Maybe we can do this again sometime?"

"Sure," Elliot shrugged. "I'd like that."

"I'm sorry to run out like this," Kurt said sincerely, placing a hand on Elliot's shoulder. "I guess that's what we get meeting before work."

Smiling, Elliot replied, "No, it's cool. I've got a rehearsal with my band in forty-five minutes. We have a show in Boston this weekend."

"I thought you only played locally?" Kurt asked.

"I do, but once in a while, I get offered to play somewhere different," Elliot told him. Also getting to his feet, he smiled, "I'll see you around."

The moment Elliot left the coffee shop, Kurt slapped Blaine's arm and scolded, "You could have been a little more polite! I told him you were a really nice person."

"I was nice. He's the one that was so forward," Blaine snapped back, as he held the door open for Kurt and headed to the busy street.

"He was just trying to help. You're the one that accuses me of being negative. Why can't we take help from other people? Our family and inner circle of friends aren't going to come up with the money on their own," Kurt placed his hand on his hips defensively.

"Yeah, but why would you willingly help someone you hardly know? Isn't that weird to you?" Blaine said. "I'm not sure I would."

"What? Like your friend Dave? You accepted his money after hardly knowing him!" Kurt said hotly, stopping in his tracks. "Why are you so unwillingly to accept him? Are you that jealous? Do you not trust me?"

"No. I mean, yes, I trust you. I just don't trust him. He's clearly interested in you, and I don't want to lose you to him," Blaine admitted. He knew Kurt's situation was similar to his friendship with Dave, but Blaine still had a weird feeling about it.

Letting out a long sigh, Kurt placed his hands on Blaine's shoulders and said, "You are never going to lose me to anyone. Remember that conversation we had a long time ago? We didn't know if we could fully trust each other because we've both cheated." Kurt took his hand and placed it under Blaine's chin, forcing their eyes to meet. "We made the decision that we have to trust each other. We've made this work for eight years, Blaine. I'm not so willing to let you go. I would never let anyone come between us, and I trust that you would never do that either."

"I'm sorry," Blaine whispered. "You're right. I need to trust you. I just..." he hesitated, avoiding Kurt's gaze. He said something that had been on his mind for a while. "Since Belle, I've been so afraid of losing you too."

Kurt's eyes filled with compassion. He pulled Blaine into his tight embrace and rubbed his back, quietly, "it's okay. I'm right here. You're never going to lose me."

* * *

"There you go. That's it," Blaine encouraged, tapping his foot to the rhythm of the music. He closed his eyes and listened to A Whole New World from Aladdin ring through the room.

Until a wrong note was followed by another. Those notes were followed by another, before a loud banging took its place.

"Carter! Carter, please," Blaine grabbed the boy's hands and held them tightly. "We've talked about this. Respect your instrument. Wrong notes happen. You've been doing so well."

"I keep messing up," Carted shouted, panting heavily. He squirmed, fighting against Blaine's grasp. "Let me go!" His cries of "Let me go!" became louder with each scream.

"Carter, please," Blaine loosened the grip he had on the boy's hands and rubbed his back. "The piano is your friend. You must be kind to it. Music is here to help you."

"All it does is annoy me!" Carter shouted. He climbed off the bench and ran to the door of the room. Whipping it open, he disappeared into the hallway, no doubt to find his mother.

"Carter!" Blaine called, running after him. He found the boy in his mother's arms on the bench in the hallway. "I'm really sorry. It just wasn't a good day."

"Not every day can be, right?" she smiled sadly, repeating what Blaine told all of his patients and their parents. "Thank you for your time, Doctor Anderson. We'll see you next week." Grabbing her son by the shoulder, she led him down the hall.

"Yeah," Blaine sighed, running a hand through his hair. Leaning against the wall behind him, Blaine buried his face in his hands and took several deep breaths. Being around these children reminded Blaine that his daughter was probably suffering in her own way.

In time, he turned to head back into the room to head home, when he heard something that made him stop in his tracks.

"Blaine! Blaine, wait!" Kurt called. He ran down the hall, stopping just in front of Blaine. Out of breath, Kurt clutched a stitch in his side and grabbed his shoulder for support. His cheeks were flush and his hair was a mess.

"Kurt, what happened?" Blaine felt his stomach flip in concern.

"I need... I need water," Kurt shook his head. His breath coming in short gasps. "Ran from... from home."

"Come here," Blaine led him back into the room and sat him on the piano bench. Grabbing a cup, he filled it from the drinking fountain in the hall and returned to Kurt. Kneeling down in front of him, Blaine looked in Kurt's eyes and said sternly, "What happened?"

"There was another note," Kurt said, taking a sip of water. He lowered the cup with a trembling hand and frowned at Blaine's frozen expression. "I just came home and it was there."

"What did it say?" Blaine finally found the courage to say. He took the envelope from Kurt and pulled out a small sheet of paper.

_First $150,000 in cash by April 15th. Leave it at 45 E. 51st. Leave it with Kathy. Tell anyone and there will be consequences._

"What the hell does that mean?" Blaine stared at the note. His heart sinking to his stomach. He looked up at Kurt's broken expression and felt ten times worse "That only gives us a few weeks to get thousands of dollars to get there."

"What if we don't get it?" Kurt said, his voice cracking. "Blaine, what if something bad happens because we can't get it together? We thought we had time." Tears began rolling down his cheeks. "I thought we could just get it together and give it to them when we were ready."

"It's gonna be okay. We'll get the money," Blaine reassured him. He stood up and wrapped his arms around Kurt. Burying his face in Blaine's chest, Kurt's sobs filled the room and all Blaine could do was run his back soothingly.

"How d-do we tell the police without B-b-belle getting h-hurt?" Kurt's voice was muffled against Blaine's chest.

"I don't know... "Blaine tried to think of a solution. "Maybe we can't tell them."

"this is a nightmare," Kurt cried, holding tightly to Blaine.

"I know," Blaine said quietly, staring blankly at the wall behind him, feeling hopeless. "I know."

So far, Kurt had been strong for Blaine. He had felt so broken and Kurt had been the one there for him. But as Blaine comforted Kurt as he cried, he realized that this was breaking Kurt too.

They had to come up with a plan. They had to find a way to come up with thousands of dollars in the next few weeks if they wanted a shot at getting Belle back.


	12. Week 12 - Sam's secret

"Kurt, this is really serious," Rachel said, setting down a bowl of popcorn in front of him on the coffee table. He had just told her the latest information on their Belle situation. "What the hell are you going to do?"

"I wish I knew," Kurt sighed, grabbing the bowl of popcorn, as he started picking pieces out of it. "That's a whole ton of money we don't have."

"You know, that reminds me..." she trailed off, heading into the bedroom. Returning a minute later, she handed him a check with a stern look on her face. "I won't let you turn me down."

Scanning it, he shook his head, "Are you sure about this?"

"Every month since Belle was born, I put away a hundred dollars toward college tuition. You can never be too sure about getting scholarships or grants. I thought it was the least I could do to contribute to the amount of money you and Blaine spend on groceries and clothing," Rachel sat down next to him. "Nine thousand four hundred of that comes from Belle's savings. I never told you and Blaine because I knew you'd tell me it was too much."

"And the other one thousand six hundred?" Kurt raised an eyebrow.

"That's what Sam and I had in our savings," Rachel replied, shrugging.

"She can't go to college if we don't save her life," Rachel said quietly. "I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner. I went to check out savings and was devastated when it came up with only that much, and then I remembered my other account."

Tears formed in his eyes and he hugged her tightly, "Rachel, you are honestly the most wonderful person I've ever met. Thank you so much."

Wiping a tear from his cheek, Rachel said, "She's my daughter too. I would do anything to have her back in my arms. We'll get through this."

"I hope so," Kurt said lamely, not feeling that confident about it. They still had a long way to go in a short time.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, as Rachel flipped through movies to watch. Before she decided, Rachel sat up quickly with her mouth open wide. "Kurt... I think I have an idea."

"What?" he tossed a few pieces of popcorn in his mouth.

"What if I got my last director to set up an interview with Kelly and Michael? The more people that know, the better," Rachel said. "This isn't like Ohio. Most people know because of the Amber Alert and the news but no one is that willing to reach out. What if we made a statement that we need help. I'm well known in the Broadway community. I'm sure someone would step forward."

The popcorn bowl dropped to the ground, spilling popcorn all over the floor. "Rachel, would you really do that for me?"

Grabbing his hand, Rachel said, "honey, I would do anything for you and Blaine. We all just want Belle back. I'll make this work, I promise."

"I really don't know what I would do without you," Kurt kissed her cheek and pulled her into another hug. "I love you so, so much, Rachel Berry."

Laughing through her tears, Rachel said, "Don't hold your breath. I haven't arranged the interview yet, but I'll do what I can."

"That's all I ask," Kurt smiled, hugging her again, feeling more hopeful than he had since they had received the note.

"On one condition," Rachel said sternly.

"What's that?" Kurt asked.

"You have to clean up the popcorn you just dumped all over my apartment floor," she replied.

* * *

Blaine's steady breathing filled the silence in the dark bedroom that night. The sound was soothing, almost comforting, knowing that his Blaine was there, content, with him.

Blaine was stressed. It was obvious. He came home from work the last two days and hardly said a word. He had opened a bottle of beer the moment he started making dinner. It bothered Kurt to no end but he couldn't stop it. Blaine knew Kurt had been sensitive about excessive amounts of alcohol since Finn's car had been hit by a drunk driver and killed him. If Kurt tried to approach him, an argument would break out and they didn't need the extra stress.

Wrapping his arm around Blaine's chest, he gently ran his hand along Blaine's jawline. Blaine's face twitched slightly and he let out a long sigh. He turned his head and Kurt pulled his hand away, resting it on his chest. He could feel Blaine's gentle heart beat and felt tears form in his eyes.

He started thinking about their time together. The last few years had been so precious to him. Raising Belle, moving to a bigger home, supporting Blaine in his career choice, and choosing to have another baby. He was so blessed to have a husband like Blaine. Even in their times of trouble, Blaine was the one thing that kept Kurt sane. It was moments, like this, where being with Blaine meant everything to him, even if Blaine was unconscious.

He wasn't for long. Rolling over on to his side, Blaine's eyes fluttered open and he squinted at Kurt through the darkness. "Are you okay?" he whispered. "Are you crying?"

Sniffing, Kurt quietly said, I didn't mean to wake you... "I'm fine... I just really love you, Blaine."

"I love you too," Blaine bummed, leaning in to kiss him. He cupped Kurt's face with his hand and wiped a tear off his cheek. "But why are you crying? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Kurt replied. "I was just watching you sleep and thinking about how happy you make me."

"Kurt," Blaine said sweetly. If it hadn't been dark, Kurt would have been able to tell that he was blushing. "If anything, I'm lucky to have you. Although I'm not sure how I feel about you watching me sleep. Was I drooling?"

Kurt choked out a small chuckle, "No, you looked beautiful." He kissed Blaine more slowly. "I just feel so hopeless all the time and being close to you makes me feel better."

"I know the feeling," Blaine replied, before he deepened the kiss. "You're the light in my darkness."

Kurt pulled back and ran his hand along Blaine's neck. "I know we have to get up for work in the morning but will you make love to me?"

In response, Blaine climbed on top of Kurt and began kissing him more forcefully. He started working his way down Kurt's neck and Kurt let out a groan of pleasure. Blaine was gentle and took his time. It felt so right, so natural. There was nothing like being intimate with his love. For the first time in weeks, Kurt felt truly satisfied.

* * *

Students filed by Kurt down the sidewalk, rushing to get to class on time. Kurt stopped in front of the school and stared at the building in sadness. The days of dropping off or picking up Belle seemed so long ago...

Shaking his head, he continued down the sidewalk toward work. Out of habit, he walked by the school on his way to work every day. It never got easier.

"Hey, Kurt, wait!" he heard Sam call from behind him. He was dressed in his usual attire, dress pants and a dress shirt, with a bag in his hand. "What are you doing here?"

Kurt shrugged, "Oh, just on my way to work." He studied his friend's face. "Sam, are you all right? You look really pale."

"Hmm? Oh, yeah," Sam ran a hand through his hair. He bit his lip nervously and said, "no, Kurt, actually can we talk sometime? Rachel wants to meet with her director after work tomorrow with you and Blaine. Can you and I go somewhere and talk after?"

"Uh... Sure," Kurt said slowly, finding this behavior rather odd for Sam.

The school bell rang and Sam said, "Okay. Cool." He turned to go but stopped long enough to say, "And don't mention it to Rachel or Blaine, okay? I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you," Kurt waved, boy sure what just happened. He made his way to work with his mind on Sam. What would he want to talk to Kurt about?

"Kurt, can I see you in my office, please?" Isabelle's voice came from down the hall when he arrived. She motioned him inside before disappearing into her office.

"What's going on?" Kurt asked timidly. This was turning into a strange morning. Why did everyone want to talk to him?

Biting her lip, Isabelle leaned against her desk and said, "Have a seat. I have some news for you." At his horrified expression, she smiled, "it's okay. I think you'll like this."

"Okay..." he said uneasily.

"I got the job at Forbes!" Isabelle said excitedly. "I can't believe it! They called me this morning and I accepted. This is a dream come true."

"I - uh- wow," Kurt tried to sound excited. Deep down, he was hurt. Isabelle had been so good to him for so long. On top of losing everything he had, now he was losing Isabelle.

"I know you're nervous about who the new editor will be but I think you'll like him," Isabelle smiled. "I went to Mary-Kate Johnson this morning to put in my two week notice and I recommended the best."

"Don't worry about me. I'm sure he'll be fine, if you trust him. This is a huge step for you I'm happy for you," Kurt stood up and gave her a hug. "We'll definitely have to keep in touch."

"We will," she said. "And Kurt?"

"Yes?"

"In case you were wondering, the new editor's name is Kurt Hummel," Isabelle folded her hands with a pleased expression on her face.

"Oh, that's nice," he mumbled, not really interested in who was replacing her, because no one could ever really replace her.

"Kurt."

"Yes?"

"That's you," Isabelle beamed, pointing at him.

Thinking about what she said, he realized that she had said his name. "Oh!" he exclaimed, covering his mouth with his hand. "You can't be serious?!"

"I'm very serious! I think you'd be perfect for the job! I told Mary-Kate that there's no one better for the job and she told me that she agreed. You're hired. You start in two weeks. Welcome to your new office, editor of Vogue dot com," Isabelle said.

Kurt could hardly contain his excitement. He hugged Isabelle tightly, lifting her off the ground and twirling her in a circle. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Kissing her cheek, Kurt said, "I can't wait to tell Blaine tonight!"

It was hard to focus the whole day at work. Kurt felt hopeful for a change, despite Sam's strange behavior. With a better job, he was sure to have an increase in salary, which meant they could put more money aside for Belle. Not to mention, he had been with Vogue for ten years. He had been on the same job for ten years. Getting this promotion proved that his hard work paid off.

Kurt beat Blaine home from work and waited impatiently for him to get home. He paced the apartment, cleaning to keep his mind off Blaine's absence. It was a decent hour before the front door opened and Kurt rushed over to greet him.

"What are you smiling about?" Blaine asked, kissing Kurt to greet him.

"I got good news at work today," Kurt couldn't stop smiling. "I told you that Isabelle might be leaving Vogue for Forbes magazine, right?"

"Yeah..." Blaine nodded, hanging up his coat by the door and kicking off his shoes. He set his keys on the shelf above the coat rack. Running his hand across the coat rack, it froze on the small purple coat at the end of the rack and his expression went blank.

"Blaine?" Kurt said quietly.

"Sorry," Blaine quickly stepped away from the coats. "Did she get the job? Is she leaving, I thought you liked Isabelle."

"I love that woman," Kurt said enthusiastically. "She did get the job, but she told Mary-Kate that she wants me to take her place. I'm the new editor at Vogue!"

Jaw dropping, Blaine exclaimed, "Are you serious?! Kurt, that's wonderful!" He gave him a long kiss before he embraced Kurt tightly. "I'm so proud of you. No one deserves this more than you."

"Thanks," Kurt smiled, taking Blaine's hand and leading him over to the couch. "I feel like we needed this piece of good news. Things have been rough for so long."

"I'm really happy for you," Blaine said, curling up on the couch next to him. "You really needed something to boost your spirits. This will be good for you."

"I hope so. It'll take some time to adjust but it'll be worth it," Kurt nodded. "I think we'll be able to save a little more money every month for Belle."

"That would be wonderful," Blaine kissed his cheek. "Maybe our luck is about to change."

"I hope so," Kurt said in response.

* * *

Kurt, Blaine, Sam, and Rachel entered the theater Rachel had finished her Broadway run from months ago. Rachel held Sam and Kurt's hands, as they made their way to the stage. Her grip was tight. This obviously wasn't easy for her, because she missed it so much.

"Rachel, darling, it's so good to see you!" Peter Phillips walked across the stage and beamed. "He gave her a hug and said, "You're glowing."

"Oh, thanks," Rachel said, letting go of Kurt's hand to rub her small bump. "Still have a ways to go though." Gesturing to the people beside her, she introduced them. "Peter, you remember my boyfriend Sam Evans... This is the rest of my family, Kurt and Blaine. They're the parents."

"Ah, the ones that took you from me before I was ready to let you go," Peter joked, shaking their hands. "Well, we miss you here," Peter said. "I still wish we didn't have to give you up. Clarissa is pleasant but she's not you. Your talent is so special."

"Thank you," Rachel blushed, taking a seat in the front row. "Since you're still so fond of me, would you be willing to do me a favor?"

Peter sat on the edge of the stage and motioned for the others to sit beside Rachel. "For you, darling, I would be happy to do anything."

"Do you think we could schedule an interview with Kelly and Michael sometime in the near future?" Rachel took Sam's hand in hers again.

"Why?" Peter raised an eyebrow. "Rachel, you're not my star anymore. I have no control over this."

Scrunching up her face, Rachel put on the water works. She was so good at pretending to cry, and the situation was so serious, that Kurt couldn't tell if she was faking it or not. "Peter, you have no idea what we're going through," she cried. "Our daughter was kidnapped a couple months ago and although authorities are doing everything they can, it's just not enough. W-we have to pay a ransom f-fee and we just c-can't earn enough money on our own. If we could just reach out to p-people, maybe we could get our daughter back."

Peter's face was horrified, "Wait. What is happening? You can't be serious?"

"Rachel began to sob louder, "I wish we w-weren't," she buried her face in Sam's shoulder. It was still hard to tell if she was really crying or not.

"And you want me to help you," Peter crossed his arms over his chest and let out a long sigh. "Rachel, sweetheart, I don't know if I can do that. You're not my client anymore."

Climbing out of her chair, Rachel rushed to the edge of the stage and grabbed his hand. "Peter, please! This is my daughter's life we're talking about. We need to ask for help. Please just give me a chance."

With a long look at her tear-stained face, Peter sighed. "Okay, okay. I will see if I can get something scheduled for you."

"Thank you so much," Rachel said, wiping her eyes. "You have no idea what this means to me. What it means to all of us."

"Of course," Peter slid off the stage and gave her a hug. "You were good for this theater for a long time, Rachel. The least I can do is help you and your daughter. I do remember her. She came by with Sam on some Friday nights to pick you up and go out to dinner."

"Yeah," Rachel said quietly, folding her hands over her bump. "She really liked you."

"She was a sweet girl. What was her name?" Peter asked.

"Belle," Blaine said, stepping forward. "We really do appreciate this."

"I'll make a couple calls tomorrow and let you know when I hear something," Peter said. "I'm glad you stopped in, Rachel. It was good to see you again."

They said goodbye to Peter and made their way outside once more. "We should grab something to eat. It's been a while since the four of us have done something," Rachel said.

"I've actually got a couple errands to run but maybe we can do something this weekend? We'll grab dinner Sunday night, maybe?" Kurt suggested, catching the look on Sam's face.

Rachel looked disappointed, "No problem. Maybe Sam and I will go on a date. We'll see you guys Sunday." She wrapped her arms around Sam's waist.

"Actually, I have a couple things I need to do too. I have to stop by the school and grab my homework I need to grade this weekend," Sam lied.

"Okay," Rachel frowned, kissing his cheek. "I'll see you at home, babe... Bye guys!" Rachel went to the curb and hailed a cab.

"Can I accompany you on your errands?" Blaine asked, giving Kurt a warm smile.

"You should go home and relax. I'm sure you've had a long enough day at work," Kurt told him. "If you want to make dinner, I'll be home in an hour or so."

"Okay," Blaine kissed him, before he headed down the sidewalk as well.

Sam shifted uncomfortably, waiting for Blaine to disappear. "Can we head to my classroom? It's the only private place I can think of to do this."

"Okay..." Kurt said. He followed Sam to the subway and they made their way to the school. The whole time, Kurt wondered what in the world they were doing. None of this made sense. Sam led Kurt to his classroom and shut the door behind Kurt.

"Sam, you're freaking me out," Kurt admitted, following Sam to his desk in the front of the room. "What is going on with you?"

"This," Sam reached into his top drawer and pulled out a small box. "I was going to propose to Rachel but I feel really guilty about it, because I could sell this ring and get us a good chunk of cash."

"Sam," Kurt said, eyeing the beautiful ring in the box. "You can't sell Rachel's engagement ring. She's been waiting for you to propose. Trust me. She thinks you haven't because she's pregnant."

"I've just been waiting for the right time. It has nothing to do with her pregnancy," Sam said. "I love Rachel. She!'s only going to be pregnant for so long, and someday, I want to have kids with her. She's been through a lot of heartache in her life and I wanted to make sure she was ready. I wanted to do it a while ago but then Belle disappeared and it seemed all wrong."

"Sam," Kurt said. "Rachel needs happiness in her life. Believe me, I just got promoted and it feels so good to have something to look forward to. Give Rachel some happiness in these dark times."

"I can't give her the ring though... She needs Belle more than she needs a ring. I know she would agree with me. Please sell the ring," Sam forced it into his hand.

"I can't," Kurt shook his head, handing it back to him. "Give it to Rachel."

Sam's voice cracked, as tears formed in his eyes, "Please. Please, Kurt. Belle's practically my daughter too. I want her back so badly. Please let me contribute this."

Taking the box, Kurt placed it in his pocket and said, "Okay, I'll take it." How could he say no? Kurt had never seen Sam so broken before.

"But please don't tell Rachel or Blaine. I'll just tell her I couldn't afford a ring given the circumstances. She can't feel worse knowing I sold it," Sam said quietly. "And I need to protect Blaine too. He's my best friend. I know he's already distraught."

"I'll just tell Blaine you had your own savings you forgot about," Kurt placed a hand on his shoulder. "I really appreciate this, Sam."

Giving him a hug, Sam replied, "No, thank you, Kurt. This takes a big weight off my shoulders. I knew I had to do this."

"Of course, you're family. I know how much Belle means to you," Kurt gave him a reassuring smile. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."


	13. Week 13 - The Interview

"Hello!" an older woman called from behind the counter lined with beautiful rings, as Kurt entered the shop. "What can I do for you today, sir?" She smiled at Kurt sweetly.

Placing the box containing Rachel's engagement ring on the counter, Kurt said. "I recently purchased a ring from here in hopes of getting engaged. Unfortunately, circumstances changed and I no longer have use for the ring. I was wondering if I could get my money back."

Slowly opening the box, the woman, Diana, according to her name tag, gasped at the sight of the ring. "You won't be giving this to her now? Such a shame. It's a beautiful piece of jewelry."

"She, uh, broke things off," Kurt lied, keeping it simple. He didn't want to cause suspicion by saying it wasn't his. She might think he stole it to get money. "I guess we were on opposite ends of our relationship."

Diane studied him for a minute, like she didn't know if she could believe him. "Do you have a receipt for this?"

"Yes, but could I possibly get the refund in the form of a check to Kurt Hummel?" Kurt pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to her. He still felt guilty for taking this from Sam and Rachel, but he knew this was important to Sam. "I'm taking it straight to the bank but I don't want to carry that much cash on me."

Studying it, Diane said, "Very well." She went to the back and came a moment later. "This is for you," she handed him the check, before tucking the ring behind the counter. "I'm very sorry that things didn't work out for you."

"Thank you," Kurt said, putting on the best heart broken face he could. "I really do appreciate this. It was the last thing I wanted to do today."

"Of course, dear. Best of luck to you," Diana told him on his way to the door.

He left the shop and took the check right to the bank, where things were slowly adding up. They only had about $15,000 and they had a long way to go before April 15th.

Once Kurt left the bank, he made his way to Sam and Rachel's apartment. He still felt terrible about the situation, and he wanted to talk to Sam to make him feel better.

"Kurt? What are you doing here?" Rachel asked, letting him inside.

"I just wanted to say hi," Kurt said, trying to sound casual, while his heart beat quickly in his chest. "Well, I wondered if Sam was around. I wanted to talk to him about Blaine."

"Is Blaine okay?" Rachel asked nervously.

"Yeah, I just think he could use some time away. I wanted to see if Sam would take him out some night this week," Kurt told her, hoping it sounded like a good enough excuse.

"Yeah, sure. In fact, I'll do it tonight. I'll head home with you. I need a night away from grading math problems," Sam came out of the bedroom and grabbed his coat. Kissing Rachel on the cheek, he said, "I hope you don't mind, sweetheart."

"No, it's fine. I'm feeling rather nauseous tonight anyway. I don't really want to do anything but sleep," she said, rubbing her belly. "This baby is showing me no mercy."

"I'll be back later. Get some rest, babe," Sam kissed her gently, before following Kurt out the door. They got in the elevator and Sam said, "So is this really about Blam time or something else?"

"Mostly, i wanted to tell you that the money's in the bank. All five thousand of it," Kurt stepped off the elevator and led Sam outside. "I really can't thank you enough for this, Sam.

"Kurt, really, don't mention it. I needed to do this, and I'm so glad that you accepted. If you hadn't, I would have felt awful about keeping it," Sam shrugged. "I probably would have sold it myself and given you the money anyway.""I wouldn't accept," Kurt replied.

"Blaine would," Sam offered.

"True," Kurt stopped in his tracks and grabbed Sam's arm. "Sam, I... I really can't tell you how much you mean to me and Blaine. You've been a part of Belle's life from the start and she really loves spending time with you. It means so much to us that you've become like her third dad. That girl has had a lot of love in her life, and I know she's missing you as much as she's missing me or Blaine."

"You think so?" Sam asked quietly. His expression was soft but doubtful, like he wasn't sure he believed that.

"You're her Sammy. I know so. She loves you, and we do too," Kurt said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I just want to let you know that I'm really happy you're a part of our family."

"Me too," Sam whispered. He cleared his throat and added, "I really care about you guys and Belle. I couldn't think of a better family to be a part of."

"we're lucky to have you," Kurt replied, as they started walking again.

"Who would've known back when I first came to McKinley and you had a crush on me that we'd be so close?" Sam said with a smirk on his face.

"I didn't have a crush on you," Kurt blushed."I was just... being friendly. You were new to the school and I wanted to make you feel welcome."

Sam rolled his eyes, laughing, "Yes, you did, Kurt Hummel. Don't even deny it. You and Rachel have a similar taste in guys. You liked Finn, she dated him. You liked me, she's dating me. She dated Blaine, you married him."

"I guess I never thought of that," Kurt chuckled. "No wonder we're practically the same person."

"But let's be clear, I still like her, not you," Sam nudged him with his elbow.

"I can live with that," Kurt said.

"So what am I doing with Blaine?" Sam asked, when they approached the apartment building. "You said he needed time away?"

"I'm worried about him. He's been so closed off, so quiet. I know he's hurting more than he's willing to admit," Kurt said truthfully. "Take him out to shake it off for a while. Just please don't let him drink too much."

"I can do that," Sam nodded, knowing it bothered Rachel the same way it bothered Kurt. Rachel hardly ever drank because of it, so Sam understood exactly what Kurt was dealing with..

"Thanks, Sam. I really appreciate that," Kurt replied. "Once I get everything done that I need to, I can go keep Rachel company. Make sure she's okay."

"I'm sure she'd love that," Sam smiled. They entered the apartment, where Blaine was found sitting at the kitchen table with his head in his hands. "Hey, dude." Sam placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go do something tonight."

"I don't feel like it," Blaine mumbled. A bottle was already in his hands and his eyes looked unfocused. He wasn't drunk but he was in a daze. "I think I'll just stay here tonight."

"Come on, it's been so long since we've done something together. I gotta tell you what I found in my savings account last night. I wrote Kurt a check this morning," Sam said, winking at Kurt.

"This better be good, Evans," Blaine said, standing up. He drank one last swig of his bottle, set it on the table, and said, "All right. You talked me into it. Let's go." He turned to Kurt and said, "I guess I'll see you later."

"Love you," Kurt kissed his cheek. "Have fun." He waited for them to leave, before he picked up the bottle and sighed heavily, "Blaine, what have you gotten yourself into?" he mumbled.

Tears prickles ha eyes and his grip on the bottle tightened. Kurt knew why Blaine was drinking. This day to day life of missing Belle and trying to forget the pain was unbearable. Kurt had been dealing with it too. He just didn't turn to the bottle the way Blaine did. But the drinking was becoming more frequent and it bothered Kurt. He didn't want to lose Blaine to alcohol the way he had lost Finn. He didn't want to lose blaine at all, because losing Belle was already too much. Unfortunately, Kurt was losing Blaine to the bottle.

A sob escaped Kurt's throT and he chucked the bottle across the room. The bottle and it's contents his the wall and scattered across the floor. Kurt sank to his knees and buried his face in his hands knowing that he had to get Blaine help before it was too late.

* * *

As a movie played in the background, Kurt couldn't take his mind off the next couple of weeks. Starting his new position at Vogue, the possibility of hearing back about the Kelly and Michael interview, and the $150,000 deadline. It was a lot of pressure to take on and he could hardly focus on anything at all.

What set him on edge even more was the call Rachel received that made Blaine stop the movie. "It's Peter!" she announced, as Blaine reached for the remote.

Hello?" she answered casually, trying to keep her voice calm. "Hi, Peter. How are you?" She paused, "Yes, I'm fine, thank you."

Switching the phone to speaker, Rachel set it on the coffee table and Peter's voice came through, "I wanted to call you earlier but I was swamped all day. I made the calls I said I would and I have news for you."

"Okay," Rachel replied. Blaine grabbed Kurt's hand. Sam sat forward in his seat, and Kurt felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Selena Gomez was supposed to do an interview this Friday. Due to a family crisis, she cancelled a few dates on her tour, and she won't be in New York that day," Peter informed them. "There's a spot open for an interview on the show and I managed to squeeze you in. Kelly loves you and when she and Michael were informed, she immediately pushed to have you on. You'll be going on this Friday."

"Are you serious?" Rachel peeped. "Oh, that is wonderful news! Thank you so much for doing this, Peter! I really owe you."

"Oh, no, I'm happy to help," Peter replied. "I told you a hundred times that you were wonderful to work with and I hope you find your daughter."

"Thank you, Peter. That really means a lot to me," Rachel said, her voice shaking slightly. "Maybe I can buy you dinner sometime to make it up to you."

"If it would make you feel better, I'd be honored to. I'll talk to you soon, Rachel. Good luck with Friday's interview," Peter said. He hung up after telling Rachel goodbye.

Sitting down on Sam's lap, Rachel rested her head against his and smiled, "You guys, we might have a chance of actually getting somewhere on Friday."

"This is wonderful!" Sam said, smiling at Kurt and Blaine, who were still cuddled on the couch, clutching hands tightly.

"I want you guys to come with me," Rachel told them. "I don't know if they'll let you be a part of it but I at least want you there, even if you're in the audience," she told them.

"I'll see if I can take off work that morning," Blaine replied.

"I'm sure Isabelle won't have a problem with it," Kurg agreed. "It's my last week on the job anyway. I'll be in charge after Frisay," he said, feeling his stomach turn out of nerves.

"You know I'll be there," Sam kissed her.

Tucking her hair behind her ear, Rachel said, "Do you guys think there's a chance we'll get her back in the near future?"

Kurt and Blaine exchanged unsure glances, "I wish I had a real answer for that," Blaine said. "There's just no way of knowing?"

"Do you think she's okay?" Rachel asked. This was a question no one had really addressed yet. "I mean, seriously, do you think they've hurt her? Do you think she's going to be mentally scarred for life?"

Again, Kurt and Blaine exchanged glances. Kurt admitted, "Honestly, I'm a little afraid to find out. I'm afraid to know what's wrong."

"How would we get her through whatever pain she feels from this? Could she ever recover emotionally? Or is she going to be scared all of her life?" Rachel continued, bringing up thoughts Kurt had been worried about for weeks.

"She'll probably need therapy," Blaine admitted. "Even if she's being treated well, no child can handle being kidnapped easily."

"I never thought of that," Sam said quietly. "We're going to be dealing with this even after we have her,"

"Of course we will. I'm going to be scared shitless the first time I have to leave her. I'm going to worry about her mental state, as well as her whereabouts. I'm already worried about how she's handling this," Blaine's hands began to tremble.

"She's already so sensitive," Kurt agreed, rubbing his thumb against Blaine's knuckles in comfort. " She couldn't even take being teased by the girls in her class. How could she handle being forcefully taken or... mistreated?"

"All the more reason to get the money as soon as possible," Sam said, his eyes meeting Kurt's gaze. "We have to do whatever we can."

"I'm hoping this interview does is some good," Blaine said, taking a deep breath. "I can't... I can't imagine what kind of consequences there will be if we don't get the money in time."

"Then there's the issue that you aren't supposed to tell anyone," Sam mentioned. "What's going to happen when you give the money to this girl on the 15th? You can't have the cops there?"

"Yes," Kurt said

"No," Blaine said simultaneously.

"We can't just let them get away with the money," Kurt argued."if the police are there, they can arrest whoever is involved and maybe we'll get closer to finding Belle."

Blaine dropped their linked hands and stared at him with wide eyes, "And if the police are there, the kidnapper will know that we told, and they could hurt Belle. Are you prepared to live with that guilt?"

"I'm prepared to find out who took our daughter and get her back with or without the money," Kurt snapped, rising from the couch. "None of it's going to matter if we don't get the police involved."

"I don't want her to get hurt because of is," Blaine replied, also standing up.

"Maybe it's just an empty threat," Kurt said hotly, his voice growing louder. "I don't know! I'm in the dark as much as you are. They probably already have harmed her. Are they really going to do that much worse? They want her alive so they can get the money."

"Not unless they take it and leave. I know you've been thinking it too, Mr. Negative," Blaine retorted. "They could have us fooled now. What if she's not alive? What if they're just telling us that to get the money? We have no proof that she's okay."

"Why are you being so negative about this?" Kurt asked. Blaine had been the one with the positivity so far. He couldn't turn on that now. Kurt needed to be reminded not to be negative.

"Because it's the truth," Blaine said, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I want to believe that she's okay. I really do. But I can't risk her getting hurt because of this. I can't have anything happen to her. I already lost her once. Don't make me lose her again."

"Blaine, you're just upset. It's okay," Rachel said, reaching for his arm.

Pushing her hand away, Blaine said, "I'm not just upset. You have no idea what I'm feeling. I don't care if you think you do, you have no idea."

"No one's admitting they know how you're feeling. We're just trying to come up with a solution," Sam told him. "Take a seat. Let's talk about this."

"I don't want to talk about this. I don't want to talk about any of it," Blaine took a step backward. His eyes were wide and his face was really pale. "I'm just - you don't - forget it. Do what you want." He stormed toward the front door, whipped it open and disappeared into the rain outside.

"What the hell was that about?" Rachel asked, staring at the front door.

To this, Kurt had no response. He stared at the closed door, feeling like things were only going to get worse from here.

* * *

Blaine was really quiet the next few days. He only spoke when necessary and absolutely refused to talk about the argument at Sam and Rachel's the other day.

Friday crept on them slowly. The interview was on everyone's mind. It was all Kurt could think about at work on Thursday and that was hard because it was his last day at his old job.

When they arrived at the studio on Friday, Rachel asked if her family could at least come backstage with her. Reluctantly, no one wanted to tell the emotional pregnant girl no. Rachel knew how to work her tears to her benefit.

"Fifteen minutes before you're on, Ms. Berry," Rachel was told sometime later.

"Thank you, " Rachel replied, as she sat beside Sam, clutching his hand tightly. "I really hope this goes well. I'm getting nervous."

"Just try to not mention too much about how close are deadline really is," Kurt warned, thinking of Blaine, who sat quietly on the other side of Sam.

"Of course," Rachel nodded. "I wouldn't mess that up."

They waited, until Kelly's voice could be heard announcing, "Our next guest comes from years spent on Broadway. Although she's currently taking a break, you all know her, let me introduce back to the show Ms. Rachel Berry!"

Kissing Sam, Rachel made her way to the set and greeted Kelly and Michael with a hug. "So good to see you!" she told them.

"Welcome back!" Kelly said enthusiastically. "I don't know about you, Michael, but I love this girl. It's been too long since you've been on here."

"I agree," Rachel chuckled. "I've been keeping really busy though."

"We've noticed," Kelly smiled, eyeing her bump. "Is this the reason you left the show?"

"Well, my director and I were discussing whether or not we should extend my run, because he wasn't ready to let go of me when my contract was up, and I told him at the time, that I wasn't sure because I knew a couple that wanted to use me as a surrogate."

":So it's not yours?" Kelly asked.

Shaking her head, Rachel explained, "my two best friends got married several years ago and it's their second child. They approached me with the idea shortly before my director came to me about my run and I decided I had been in the show long enough and wanted to help my friends. We had done this another time, accidentally. I was sort of... dating my friend Blaine at the time, before he fell in love with his husband."

"That was the scandal a few years ago about you getting pregnant and leaving Funny Girl, wasn't it?" Michael asked obliviously.

Face turning as red as a tomato, Rachel nodded, "It was a complicated situation. But everything worked out and this was planned. So I told Peter I wanted to end the show on a good note and here we are."

"Well, you look beautiful. You're glowing. Pregnancy looks good on you," Kelly smiled, and the audience cheered. "How far are you?"

"Thirteen weeks," Rachel chuckled. "I won't look so good in another three months."

"I'm sure that'll be a wonderful addition to the family. Are they here today?" Michael asked, scanning the audience..

"They're backstage," Rachel motioned behind her. "They wanted to be here for me today."

"But there's a member of the family missing, is that correct?" Kelly asked., finally bringing up the reason they were here."

"Yes," Rachel folded her hands in her lap and stared at them. "Belle their daughter disappeared a couple months ago and she hasn't been located at this time."

"That must be so hard," Kelly said sadly. "For you, as well as your friends. Should we get them out here to discuss this further?"

The audience cheered and Michael said, "We'll take a short break and when we come back, we'll hear more from Rachel and her friends."

Kurt, Blaine, and Sam were all ushered on to the set and more chairs were brought out for them. Sam took a seat next to Rachel. Blaine sa on her other side and Kurt beside him. They were introduced to Kelly and Michael, before they were back on the air.

"Welcome back!" Kelly greeted her viewers. "We were just talking to Rachel Berry, along with her friends, Kurt Hummel, Blaine Anderson and Sam Evans. "Now from what I understand, this girl we're discussing is your daughter?"

"Yes," Blaine nodded. "When Rachel and I broke up, Kurt adopted Annabelle. We still consider Rachel to be her mother and she spends much of her time with Rachel."

"And how do you fit into this?" Michael asked Sam, who squirmed uncomfortably in his seat.

"Oh. Um..." Sam was caught off guard by the question. "I'm Rachel's boyfriend. "We've been dating for several years now"

"And you're close to Annabelle?" Kelly asked.

"I'm - yeah- I'm close to her. I'm living with Rachel so I see Belle whenever she comes to see her mom," Sam said. "I'm sort of like her third dad, except Rachel and I aren't married."

"Is that something in the future?" Kelly asked. "You two look very cute together."

Sam met Kurt's eyes and he sad, "well, maybe I don't know."

"Annabelle probably comes first, I'm sure," Kelly said. "I can't image how that must have felt when you realized she was missing. What was going through your heads?"

"Anger, fear, panic, worry," Kurt stated. "I was so overwhelmed that day feels like a blur now. We were so terrified. How could we not be?"

"How did it happen?" Michael asked.

The little color in Blaine's face drained and he quietly said, "it was my fault. We were at my father's house and I had work to do. She was out in the backyard playing and then she was just... gone."

"That's awful," Kelly said, as she started tearing up, which caused Rachel to start crying.

""It's been hard, but what's worse is that we were told we had to give so much money if we wanted her back," Kurt explained, reaching for Blaine's hand. "It's a large sum of money and we just can't afford it."

"What do you plan to do about that?" Michael asked, leaning forward in his seat. "Are you trying to raise money?"

Kurt shrugged, " We're doing the best we can but it's going to take a long time to raise it on our own and we can't because... we want our little angel back as soon as we can." He had to change his thought because he almost said too much.

"We want to start a donation through GoFundMe to give people the chance to help," Sam explained, as he placed a hand on Rachel's knee. "I set up an account to give people the chance to do so."

"If any of our viewers are interesting in donating to the Belle Hummel Fund, we will have a link on our social media sites," Kelly explained to the viewers.

"We really and truly appreciate any help we get," Kurt said, feeling Blaine's grip on his hand tighten. "Belle is so, so special to us, and we want to see her beautiful face again soon."

""Anything else you'd like to add?" Kelly asked.

"I just... I just want Belle to know, in case there's any chance that she sees this, I just want you to know, Belle, that we love you with all of our hearts and we miss you every moment of every day you're not with us." His voice cracked. "we love you so much, and we will do whatever it takes to bring you home safely to us."

"That is so sweet," Kelly said through her tears, reaching to touch Rachel's arm in comfort. "I will be donating to the cause myself, and I would like to encourage all of our viewers to do the same."

"We have a check for you, on behalf of Kelly and myself," Michael handed over an envelope to Rachel, who took it with shaking hands.

"Thank you," she choked out.

They wrapped up the interview. By then, Rachel was in hysterics, blaming it on her "damn hormones," Sam was trying to console her, and Blaine made his way to Kelly and Michael. Kurt followed, wanting to personally thank them.

"This really does mean so much to us," Blaine told them. "Just getting the word out will hopefully help us get Belle back."

"We can't thank you enough," Kurt agreed. "We'll be forever grateful for this."

"It was our pleasure," Kelly smiled, giving them each a hug. "Rachel is such a sweet girl. When we heard she was having a crisis, we jumped on board immediately. It's an awful thing to have a child taken from a home, which is why you will find seven thousand dollars on that check."

Kurt and Blaine gaped at them, "This is too much. I don't know how we can properly thank you for this?" Kurt asked.

"Absolutely," Michael nodded. "I can't think of any reason that girl should be kept from people like you."

"Good luck with all of this," Kelly shook their hands. "I hope you find your daughter."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Hey everyone! I'm sorry for the delay! I had this up on Scarves&amp;Coffee a few days ago but I couldn't log into my account here. And then I went out of town for the weekend so I couldn't get it up. But hopefully that won't happen again. There's more coming soon! **


	14. Week 14 - Preparation

The image of Kurt sitting behind his new desk left Blaine feeling so proud. Kurt was so anxious, but Blaine knew in his heart that this would be so good for Kurt. He needed a distraction, and this was the perfect opportunity. Also, Kurt had been working very hard for a long time, and his hard work finally paid off.

Letting out a shaky breath, Kurt said, "this is really intimidating. I-I feel like I'm going to mess something up. Something will go wrong today."

"You're not going to mess anything up," Blaine came around the desk and cupped his hands around Kurt's cheeks. Staring into his blue eyes, Blaine said firmly, "You are going to be the best editor Vogue has ever seen."

"You think so?" The corners of his mouth twitched and Kurt said, "Please just be honest with me. You have to say that, you're my husband."

"I'm not just saying that because we're married," Blaine said defensively. He kissed Kurt long and hard, before pulling back and adding, "I have faith in you. I really do."

"Thanks," Kurt said quietly. "I remember how nervous you were your first day at the hospital."

"And how I puked when we walked in the door and they thought I was a patient," Blaine replied, causing Kurt to laugh at the memory.

"And when you told them you were working there, they asked, 'are you sure?'" Kurt smiled. "Yeah I guess I'm handling this better than you."

"You're gonna be fine, I promise," Blaine kissed him one more time, and straightened his tie. "I have to get to work though, so this is where I leave you... Good luck, babe. I love you very much."

"I love you too," Kurt said. "I'll see you tonight."

"I'll have dinner waiting for you. Sam and Rachel are coming over tonight to celebrate your first day," Blaine told him.

"They don't have to do," Kurt blushed.

"Well, they're going to,. We could all use a little celebration," Blaine kissed him one more time. "I love you. Good luck today."

"Thanks. See you later," Kurt replied, sitting at his desk and letting out a long sigh.

Blaine smiled at how adorable Kurt looked at his new desk before heading to the hospital. Kurt was on his mind all day at work. Blaine hoped everything was going well and he wasn't too distracted.

When Blaine got home that evening, he began preparing dinner. The kitchen became a mess, as Blaine worked.

A knock on the front door announced Rachel's arrival. "Hey," she smiled as Blaine let her in. "I brought a carrot cake for dessert."

"Oh, thanks," Blaine gave her a hug, taking the pan from her. "You didn't have to do that."

"I had nothing better to do," she shrugged. "Was Kurt excited about his new job?"

"More nervous than anything but I reminded him of my puking story at my first day in the hospital and I think it broke the ice," Blaine told her. "He was born for this job. He'll be fine."

"It probably took his mind off Belle though, and we could all use that distraction," Rachel said. "I can't seem to get her off my mind at all."

"Are you unhappy, Rachel?" Blaine asked, noticing her sorrowful expression.

Biting her lip, Blaine knew she was fighting back tears. "I mean, how could I be happy? This has been an absolute nightmare."

Blaine stepped forward and embraced her. "I know. I feel awful that you're going through this too. You're not too stressed, are you?"

Pulling away, she shrugged, "I don't know. I'm only a third of the way through this pregnancy, and it's already been worse than Belle's. I only puked twice yesterday and that was a nice break."

"I'm really sorry, love," Blaine said sadly. "Of all the times you had to go through this, it had to be a stressful situation."

"You mean like last time?" she smiled weakly. "Are you ever going to make pregnancy easy for me?"

"We're going to work this out," he said seriously. "I saw how happy Kurt looked despite his nerves today. It kind of made me realize that we have to keep moving forward without Belle. I know that seems impossible, but we can't put our lives on hold, you know?"

"I don't know how to move forward," Rachel said weakly. "I'm not working. Sam still doesn't want to get married. I'm just waiting for this baby to get here, and I miss Belle more every day."

"What makes you think Sam doesn't want marriage?" Blaine asked. "He loves you. I know it's hard that you can't work right now but you'll be back on stage in no time."

"Didn't you hear his response when he was asked about marriage in that interview on Friday?" Rachel looked at him with big, broken eyes. "He said he didn't know."

"It was live television. What did you want him to do? Get down on one knee and propose right there?" Blaine nudged her with his elbow.

She smiled weakly, "It would have been great for ratings."

"But you would have wanted something more romantic," Blaine reminded her. "I know you. Trust me, I was always worried about the best way to propose to you."

"You're such a romantic though," Rachel said. She sighed and moved to the stove, preparing a pot of tea. "I don't know. I think I'm just bitter about my entire life right now. Damn hormones."

Chuckling, Blaine shook his head, "Are you just going to blame everything on your hormones?"

"Yes," she said quickly.

Blaine placed a hand on her stomach and smiled, "At least you have a good excuse for your emotions."

"Are you doing okay, Blaine? Please be honest with me," she placed her hand on his and stared into his eyes. "I've dated you for three years. I know how you are when you are overwhelmed. Sam told me about your night out and Kurt told me you've been acting strange."

He shrugged, pulling his hand away. "I just don't know how to handle myself anymore. I know we need to move forward but I don't know how. I feel like we have to find happiness and I can't do that."

Cupping his cheek, she said, "Just please be careful, okay? I'm worried about you and I just want you to be okay."

"Rachel, I don't know that any of us are going to be okay until Belle comes back," Blaine stepped away from her and distracted himself by pouring her tea. "I know Kurt tries to act tough for me but I'm sure he's hiding a lot from me. I'm the same way, and I know Sam feels empty too. You're just the one that's more bold about your emotions."

"Damn hormones," she mumbled.

"You would be crying openly even if you weren't pregnant. You're a drama queen, Rachel," he handed her a mug full of tea and she smiled.

"Oh, yeah," she said, taking a sip. "But Blaine... do you have to drink? You know it bothers Kurt. It bothers me too. Ever since Finn died, I can't handle it. I told you that the first time you got drunk. Remember that fight we had?"

"Yeah. I had no idea you felt that way. I felt awful for doing that to you," he said.

"So why do you do it to Kurt? This has been hard enough on him," Rachel told him.

"I don't know... It's just the easiest way for me to escape my problems. This has just been so hard, Rachel. I don't know how to handle myself," Blaine admittedl. "I know I shouldn't but how else can I handle my problems?"

"You can confide in me or San, but mostly, you should confide in your husband. I know he's real worried wbout you. He knows you're falling apart," Rachel took his hand in hers. "Talk to him, okay?"

The front door opened and Sam walked in with Kurt. Sam greeted Rachel with a long kiss, wrapping her tightly in his embrace. Meanwhile, Kurt tossed his keys on the kitchen table and went for the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Uh oh,"l Blaine mumbled.

Sam quietly said, "It's nothing, really. He said he had a really busy day at work and it wasn't a bad thing. It wasn't until he walked by the school on his way home that he realized he didn't know if he'd ever get to share the news with Belle. It was the idea that she wouldn't be celebrating with us tonight that upset him. I found him outside of the school in a daze and walked him home."

"Thank you, Sam," Blaine clapped a hand on his back. "I'll go talk to him. Will you turn the oven off if I'm not back in threes minutes?"

"Sure," Sam nodded, wrapping his arm around Rachel's waist.

Blaine tapped on the bedroom door before entering. "Kurt?" he said softly.

Placed on the edge of the bed, Kurt wiped his eyes and cleared his throat. "I just wanted to get changed out of this darn suit."

"You never care about changing after work," Blaine said, sitting down next to him. He set his hand on Kurt's knee and said, "Sam told me what happened."

"Oh," Kurt mumbled.

"I know how you feel. I go through it every time I set the table to eat dinner and only set two plates instead of three. I think about it every night at nine when I should be reading about Sleeping Beauty instead of having free time. I think about it when I brush my teeth in the morning and I see that purple toothbrush sitting on the sink unused. It's everywhere, Kurt. She's everywhere," Blaine squeezed his knee. "You have every right to feel like she should be here for you."

"I just really miss her, Blaine," Kurt said weakly, glancing up at him with sad eyes.

Pulling him into a hug, Blaine whispered, "Me too. Why don't we go talk to Sam and see how much money we've raised. Maybe that will make you feel better."

They went back into the kitchen. Sam was setting the table and Rachel was cradling her stomach as she watched Sam admiringly.

"How's GoFundMe working out for us?" Blaine asked, the moment they were all seated. "I know you were keeping track on it."

"When I checked this morning, we were at $23, 635," Sam announced.

"We are so far from where we should be," Kurt said, taking a bite of his salad.

"April 15th is next week. How are we going to come up with the money in time?" Blaine asked the question that has been on everyone's mind.

"We'll figure something out," Sam said.

"No, we can't just be optimistic about it," Kurt set his fork down. "That's a serious problem. We aren't even close. What are we going to do?"

"Talk to our families about it?" Rachel suggested. "I haven't exactly asked my parents yet and neither has Sam. We've been trying to come up with the money on our own."

"I should talk to Cooper too," Blaine nodded.

"Even then, it's not going to be enough," Kurt protested. "We have a long way to go."

"We're just gonna have to take what we have and hope that's enough," Sam decided. "There's not much else we can do. We can't force people to help."

"We'll work something out. Don't worry," Blaine said. "We will get Belle back."

* * *

Entering the school auditorium two days later, Blaine could feel his heart beat quickly against his ribcage.

"Would you like a program?" a young girl handed him a pamphlet.

"Thank you," Blaine said, searching for a seat. He found one near the back of the auditorium, where he wouldn't be recognized by any parents.

The ballerinas came on stage right at seven o'clock. They did a dance that ended with flowers being thrown to a picture sitting on an easel near the back of the stage. Blaine squinted at the back of the stage. The moment he saw Belle's face, his heart skipped a beat.

A small girl with blonde hair tied back in a bun stepped forward with a rose in her hand. "We would like to dedicate our performance tonight to our classmate, Annabelle Hummel. We hope they find you soon Belle, because we feel a step behind without you here." She stepped forward and placed the rose at the bottom of the picture on the tray.

Tears stung Blaine's eyes and he tried to fight them back. But as the girls continued to dance, and Belle's picture sat behind them, Blaine couldn't hold himself together. He thought of all the recitals they had attended, all the hours rehearsing, and Belle's love for dance. Thoughts consuming him, Blaine leapt to his feet and left the auditorium. He ran into the hall and leaned against the wall, burying his face in his hands.

After a moment, someone touched his shoulder, causing him to jump. "Woah, sorry," Elliot stepped backward. "Didn't mean to frighten you."

"What are you doing here?" Blaine asked, already annoyed. He still didn't like Elliot.

"My niece is performing," Elliot reminded him. "I stepped out to take a leak." He studied Blaine's face. His eyes widened, "Are you all right?"

"Hm? Yeah, I'm fine," Blaine crossed his arms over his chest. "I shouldn't have come here."

"Do you want to grab a cup of coffee?" Elliot asked. "Take your mind off it."

"Don't you want to see the rest of the recital?" Blaine asked.

"I've been to every recital. I think I can miss this. Her parents are here. It's fine," Elliot clapped a hand on his back and walked with him outside. "I haven't heard from Kurt in a couple weeks. How are things going?"

"They could be better, I guess," Blaine shrugged. "We're just trying to take things one day at a time, you know?"

"Sure, I can understand that," Elliot nodded, holding the door to the nearest Starbucks open for him. "I feel bad. I told you guys I would donate and I never contributed."

'You don't have to," Blaine replied. Turning to the barista, he said, "Can I just get a coffee, please?"

"Will that be all?" she asked.

"And one for my friend," Blaine motioned to Elliot. "It's the least I can do for your comfort."

"Thanks," Elliot smiled. They got their coffee and soon found a table near the back.

"Are you guys prepared for your deadline?" Elliot asked, taking a sip from his drink.

"You know about that?" Blaine asked.

"Hm? Yeah, Kurt told me. That's really awful. How could they do that to you?" Elliot asked, gripping his cup of coffee.

"I don't know," Blaine sighed, shaking his head. "Why did we ever do to the kidnapper to deserve this? I can't think of anyone. Is this really someone so heartless?"

"You think you know the person then?" Elliot said. "You think they want revenge?"

Blaine shrugged, "Truthfully? I don't have a clue. It's not like I have any enemies. Not to sound conceited, but I'm fairly kind to people, or I try to be. There's no one I have a problem with. My relationship with my father was strained but he passed away a few months ago."

"Well, what about Kurt? Is there someone he has issues with?" Elliot tried.

"No one crazy enough to do this, as far as I know," Blaine tapped the table. "We've had this conversation more than once and we just can't figure it out."

Pulling out a checkbook from his bag, Elliot said, "I want to help contribute something. I feel really bad about this. I think of my niece and how awful I would feel, and she's not even my daughter."

Blaine waited, while Elliot wrote out a check for four hundred dollars. "Elliot, really, that's too much," Blaine said, when Elliot tried handing it to him.

"I don't care. This is something I really want to do. Please take it," Elliot forced it in Blaine's hand and stood up. "I should get back to the theater. Thinking of my niece reminds me that I really don't want to miss anything."

"Sure, I understand," Blaine nodded. He stood up and held out a hand, "Thank you, Elliot. Seriously. This means a lot to us."

Shaking Blaine's hand, Elliot said, "it's my pleasure."

* * *

The aroma of bacon filled the apartment. Blaine reached over in the bed next to him and felt empty sheets. "Kurt?" he sat up quickly.

After a beat, Kurt appeared in the doorway. "Did you call for me?" he asked, spatula in hand. At the sight of Blaine, he narrowed his eyes and said, "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah. Just tired," Blaine said, rubbing his eyes. "Are you making breakfast?"

"Yes. Pancakes are on. They'll be ready shortly if you want some," Kurt smiled, before disappearing again.

Burying his face in his hands, Blaine moaned. He didn't want Kurt to know that he was shaken from the nightmare he just had. This wasn't the first. All of the dreams he had in the last couple weeks were about Belle. She was always in peril and just out of Blaine's reach. She called for him, and no matter how he tried, he couldn't get to her.

This time, she was dangling from a tall building that didn't seem to have any stairs or elevators. He tried climbing the building. Every time he tried, he kept sliding back down. She just let go of her grip when Blaine woke up in a sweat.

Hands shaking slightly, Blaine went into the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. He studied his pale expression in the mirror and sighed heavily. He looked so haunted these days. It was no surprise that Kurt was worried.

"I've got some pancakes and bacon here for you, babe," Kurt announced when Blaine entered the kitchen a few minutes later, setting a plate on the table. "Do you want milk, juice, or coffee?"

"Milk is fine," Blaine mumbled, taking a seat. "Don't you have to be at work soon?"

"I'm not too worried about it. Isabelle isn't there to yell at me anymore" Kurt smiled, placing a glass of milk in front of him. "I do have some good news though."

"What's that?" Blaine asked.

Reaching for his phone, Kurt pulled up the GoFundMe page and told him, "We hit 79,000 this morning."

"Woah. Really?" Blaine snatched the phone out of his hand. "I wasn't sure we were going to get that far. I didn't think we were gaining that much interest."

"Well, I hope we gain more interest, because we only have 55,000 more to reach that 150,000 by next week," Kurt smiled. "I know that seems like a lot but compared to what we have raised, we might be able to do it."

"Do you really think?" Blaine asked. He picked up a knife and began spreading butter on his pancakes, before drowning them in syrup.

Sitting down next to him, Kurt set his phone down. "I keep telling myself we can," he sighed. "I'm trying to be more positive. It's just really hard. Yes, we might be able to cover this amount, but can we cover all 500,000 of it."

Feeling like he lost his appetite, Blaine stared down at his plate and bit his lip. "I've been thinking the same thing. I just don't know how we're going to pull it off when we're only a fifth of the way there."

Taking Blaine's hand, Kurt squeezed it. "We're just gonna have to fight as hard as we can."

"Do you think we were wrong to keep this place?" Blaine finally met his eyes.

Shaking his head, Kurt replied, "She knows we're here. If she was ever able to look for us, she would look here. She has to be able to contact us. We'll just have to work harder to earn the money we could save by moving.""

"I guess you're right," Blaine said.

"We've got most of our bills paid for the month. I'm ready to throw some money into our savings. With my new job, I think we can throw an extra two hundred in there this month," Kurt rubbed his thumb along Blaine's knuckles. It was a comforting gesture that made Blaine feel slightly more relaxed.

"Okay," Blaine nodded. "It certainly makes it easier that you have that new job."

"I know," Kurt said. "It came when we needed it most. We needed some sort of hope with April 15th hanging over our heads."

"I'm really dreading next week," Blaine admitted. "I'm just so scared that this isn't going to go the way we plan."

Pulling him into a hug, Kurt said, "I feel the same way. No matter what happens, we'll get through next week together."


	15. Week 15 - April Fifteenth

The police station was rather busy the morning that Kurt and Blaine entered. They knew that they needed some form of help without interfering with Belle's fate.

"Can I help you?" They were asked upon their arrival.

"We need to speak with Detective Danforth about our case. He's been in touch with our Detective from Westerville Ohio about our daughter's kidnapping."

"Very well, I'll let him know you are here. Have a seat." the man said, picking up the phone.

After ten minutes, Detective Danforth, a tall man with a receding hairline approached them. Shaking their hands, he greeted them, "Mr. Hummel, Dr. Anderson, please come in."

"Thank you," Blaine took Kurt's hand in his and led him into the office.

"Any new information about Annabelle's case?" Detective Danforth asked, sitting down behind his desk and searching for a file.

"It's about a message we received from the kidnapper, actually," Kurt said, not bothering to mention that this information wasn't new. "We received a note under our door." Pulling it out of his pocket, Kurt handed it to him.

Detective Danforth studied it. "That's this Friday," he announced.

"We know," Blaine nodded. "Being that we aren't meant to tell anyone, we don't want to make a scene for the sake of our daughter."

"But we're afraid of confrontation as well," Kurt added, squeezing Blaine's hand.

"We don't know what we're up against," Blaine added.

"There's no telling if this is a trap," Kurt continued.

"If it's even real," Blaine said.

"We're a little troubled," Kurt concluded.

Holding up a hand, Officer Danforth said, "I think I know what will solve this." He came around the desk and said, "I'm going to send two of my men undercover for you. They will be there in case things go wrong. They will defend you, arrest this kidnapper if they can."

"What about the note?" Blaine asked. "They'll find out we told you."

"If we arrest them, that won't be a problem. They can't hurt Annabelle in our custody," Detective Danforth said. "With any luck, I'm hoping that's the outcome."

"And if it's not? They'll hurt her!" Blaine said desperately.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," Detective Danforth said. "If they want their money, they aren't going to kill her. At most, they might physically harm her, but she'll recover. My current move is to protect you so Annabelle has a family to come home to. In doing so, we'll capture out victim and get your daughter."

"And you think this will work?" Kurt asked hopefully.

"I can't make promises," Detective Danforth replied.

* * *

Kurt, Blaine, Sam, and Rachel sat in silence, staring at each other with anxiety in their eyes. No one knew what to say.

The threat of April fifteenth was on them. They only had one more night before they had to give their first $150,000. Everyone's nerves were on edge. They knew that, whatever happened the next day, Belle's fate rested in their hands.

"We reached our goal. I don't know why this is so terrifying," Blaine finally said. "With Cooper's donation and the GoFundMe site, we really are lucky we pulled this off."

"But what do you think is going to happen?" Rachel asked, squeezing Sam's hand tightly. "Are they just going to take the money and go?"

"Where are you even meeting them?" Sam asked. "Did you look up the address?"

"It's a coffee shop. Is that weird?" Kurt responded. "It's such an odd place to meat."

"It's public too," Blaine added.

"Weird," Sam said. "Have you decided that you're going to involve the police?"

"We're going to have someone undercover in the shop to keep an eye on things in case we need backup. We don't want to make a scene and get Belle in trouble if we don't have to," Kurt said. "We compromised, because I wanted someone there and Blaine didn't."

"I feel much better about this," Blaine nodded.

"Are you both going?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, that's the plan," Kurt took Blaine's hand in his. "We'll do it on our way into work tomorrow."

"Do you want me or Rachel there?" Sam asked.

"No, that's not a good idea. We don't want to call too much attention. They told us not to tell anyone. I don't know if that includes you," Blaine shook his head.

"But I'm her mom," Rachel protested. "What's the big deal if I know?"

"Maybe they don't care. We just don't know," Kurt said. "We'll be fine, Rachel. Don't worry. I'll call you as soon as we're done."

"Good. I'm going to be a nervous wreck," she stood up and grabbed Kurt's hand, pulling him from the couch. "Good luck tomorrow. I'll be thinking of you."

Blaine stood up and hugged her as well. "Let's see how this goes."

"Good luck," Sam clapped a hand on Blaine's back. "Text me as well. I'll be in class but I'll get the message and it'll put my mind at ease."

"Will do," Kurt and Blaine said in unison.

When Sam and Rachel left, Blaine turned to Kurt and said, "it's late. We should get some sleep. Big day tomorrow. We might want our sleep."

"I doubt I'm going to get any sleep," Kurt replied.

Kissing him gently, Blaine said, "Just think, we could have our Belle back tomorrow."

* * *

Blaine's phone rang, causing Kurt and Blaine to jump from their sleep. Stretching, Blaine pulled it off the night stand and groggily said, "Hello?"

The volume was loud enough that Kurt heard his supervisor on the other end. "Blaine, hi! It's Tiffany Sears. Sorry to bother you so early, but would you be able to come in early today?"

Blaine's eyes widened and he glanced at Kurt anxiously, "Can I ask why?"

"There's a patient in the hospital that I want you to talk her parents into scheduling sessions with you before she's released today. Her parents have to be to work by eight and they said they wanted to speak with you before work. Her mother is picking her up at three, and I know you'll be in a session then," the supervisor explained.

Rubbing his eyes, Blaine sighed, "Yeah, all right. I'll be there in forty-five minutes."

"Thank you, Dr. Anderson. I'll give you the information to find the patient when you get here. See you promptly," she hung up.

Wrapping his arm around Blaine's torso, Kurt rested his head on Blaine's chest and said, "So you're not coming with me?"

"What am I supposed to do? When I'm asked to meet with a patient, I can't really turn them down," Blaine frowned. He placed his hand on Kurt's cheek and gently stroked the smooth skin with his thumb.

Kurt felt his stomach flip. "Well, if I wasn't afraid before, I am now."

Gently kissing him, Blaine whispered, "It's going to be okay, I promise."

"I hope so," Kurt mumbled.

"Call Sam and see if he can meet you before school," Blaine sat up and stretched. "You'll feel better if he's with you."

"That's too late. He goes to school early. Maybe I'll see if Rachel can come," Kurt climbed out of bed after Blaine did. "She's not busy anyway."

"She's also pregnant," Blaine reminded him.

"We're not going to be involved in a drug deal. We'll let the police handle anything that goes wrong," Kurt protested. "I just need someone to ease my nerves."

"I wish I could be there with you," Blaine said longingly, reaching for his face again. Cupping his cheek, Blaine kissed him firmly. "I just don't think I can get out of this."

"It's fine," Kurt said, pushing him away and storming out of the room. He knew it wasn't Blaine's fault but he was so upset that he had to face this without Blaine.

Kurt got in the shower once Blaine finished. Once he was dressed, Blaine was shouldering his satchel and said, "Call me as soon as you're done, okay?"

"Okay," Kurt nodded.

"Good luck. I love you," Blaine kissed him, before turning to open the front door.

"Love you too," he mumbled, feeling sick to his stomach. The moment Blaine left, Kurt dialed Rachel's number.

She wasted no time answering. "Hello?" she said on the first ring.

"Are you busy this morning?" he asked.

"If by busy you mean staring at my phone waiting for you to call, then yes," Rachel gave a nervous laugh. "Why? What's going on?"

Blaine got called into work and I... I can't go alone. Will you come with me?" Kurt asked. "I didn't really want to put you in this predicament but I know Sam can't do it either."

"Of course I'll come. I'll be over as soon as possible," Rachel hung up the phone.

Kurt finished getting ready. He still hadn't heard from Rachel, so he moved into Belle's room and stared at the picture on her night stand. His heart absolutely ached for his daughter.

They were so close and yet so far away. If their plans did fail, they wouldn't get Belle back. If they succeeded, she could be back in his arms by the end of the day. It was such an overwhelming thought.

Closing his eyes, he imagined Belle sitting beside him. He could hear her voice in his head. He could see her warm smile and feel her gentle touch.

For a moment, Kurt felt her presence, only to have his imagination shattered by opening his eyes to her empty bedroom.

Kurt sighed. This was such a nightmare. All he wanted was to have Belle safe in his arms again.

A knock came on the front door, breaking his train of thought. He greeted his friend with a hug, before they set off for the bank.

"Are you really going to hand over that much to these people?" Rachel asked, when Kurt withdrew the money and stuffed the envelope inside his suit coat.

"I don't really have a choice," he said. "I'm hoping the police can interfere before we get that far," Kurt told her. "They might be able to arrest whoever is doing it and we can have Belle back tonight."

"You really think so?" Rachel gasped.

"It's the only thing giving me motivation to do this. If we don't succeed, we'll have to collect more money before we get her," Kurt said. "Who knows how long that will take."

They were still a couple blocks from the coffee shop when chaos broke loose.

Kurt felt a hard blow to the back of his head. He stumbled slightly, as someone grabbed hold of his arms. He heard Rachel let out a shriek. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her resisting against two men, before a blindfold was thrown over his eyes. He was shoved into the black van at the curb that he had spotted before he was blinded.

Kurt squirmed against his captors, as they tied his hands together behind him. He could hear Rachel grunting beside him. Kurt was shoved on to a seat and the vehicle took off.

Kurt didn't know how long they drove before the van stopped. He was terrified of the moment it did stop because he didn't know what would happen. The entire time, he kept thinking about Belle and how she must have felt being at the mercy of someone she didn't know.

"Get up!" someone shoved him off the seat and dragged him out of the van. He heard Rachel grunt next to him and knew she was being moved too. At least they were still together.

They were led a distance, before a door was opened and Kurt could tell they were being dragged down a hallway. They made a sharp turn and he was then tossed into a seat and his hands were tied behind him. A door slammed shut behind them.

"You got the money?" a gruff male voice asked loudly.

"We were told to give it to - " Kurt started, his voice shaking.

"I know what you were told. I sent the message," the man barked. "That was a trap. I knew you'd tell the police, so I couldn't have you near them when I got to you. I'm guessing they're waiting for me at Starbucks?"

"N-no," Kurt lied.

The man gave a sharp laugh. "I knew you'd be an easy victim, Kurt Hummel. Your daughter's more like you than you know."

"Where's Belle?!" Rachel squeaked. "Please. You don't know what we've been through. Please let her go." It was too much for her to hear.

"Shut up, girl!" he barked. There was a loud thump and Rachel let out a soft whine. "Who is this woman? Why did you tell her about this? I have you certain orders not to tell anyone and you didn't follow them."

"She's Belle's mother," Kurt replied. "S-she had a right to know."

The man grabbed a fistful of Kurt's hair and yanked his head backward. "That wasn't part of the deal. I hope you lived up to the other have. Give me the money," the man ordered.

"It's in m-my jacket," Kurt stuttered.

"Grab it," the man ordered.

A pair of hands seized Kurt's shoulders tightly, pinching them and he froze. He could feel another hand slide inside his jacket it grabbed hold of the envelope and pulled it from the inside.

"Make sure it's all there," the voice snapped. "If it's not all here, the girl will pay for your mistake."

"You won't hurt a hair on her head," Kurt yelled, as he lunged forward, only to be yanked back on the chair and smacked in the face with something hard. Whatever he was hit with left his cheek below his right eye stinging.

"That depends on whether or not you've lived up to your expectations," the man said. He was silent while the money was counted. Kurt knew it was enough but he was still anxious. He felt like he couldn't breathe.

"It's all there," another voice announced.

"Very well," the man in charge said. His voice grew closer until he was right in front of Kurt. "You are going to give me the next 150,000 by July first."

"No! You can't be serious!" Rachel sobbed. "Please. You have to be understanding about this. It's too much to ask of anyone. Isn't this enough?"

Smack.

"Foolish girl! You have no say in the matter. Keep your mouth shut before I give you a reason to keep it shut," the man barked.

"Rachel, please," Kurt whispered.

"I want the money by July first or your daughter will pay the price. You got lucky this time," he hissed. Stepping back, he announced to the room, "Get them out of here."

At once, Kurt was jerked from his chair and led back down a hall. They were taken outside and back into the van. The vehicle drove a distance until it came to a sudden stop.

The rope on Kurt's hands were untied. He heard the van door open. He was then shoved from the vehicle. The moment his body contacted the ground, and a terrible pain shot through his right knee, he heard tires squeal. Groping for his blindfold, he tore it off in time to watch the van turn the corner.

"Damn it!" he yelled. "Rachel, did you get the license plate number?" He turned to face her. "Rachel?!"

Hand trembling, she pulled her blindfold off her face. She stared at him with wide eyes. Her hand moved to her stomach. "K-Kurt, I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"Why are you sorry?" he scooted over beside her and placed a hand on her stomach. "Are you okay? Is the baby okay?"

"I'm fine," Rachel said. "I t-tried to break my fall and I think I might have broken my wrist in the process . I didn't want to hurt the b-baby," Rachel said. "But I didn't see what happened." She began sobbing and Kurt rubbed her stomach.

"It's okay, I promise. I'm sure the baby's fine," he reached for his phone, "But maybe we better get a second opinion."

Rachel took her trembling hand and gently touched his head. "Kurt, you're bleeding."

"I'm okay," he said. "Let's focus on getting help first. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I think so," Rachel took a deep breath, hand still on her stomach. "I just need to know that the baby's alright."

A door to a nearby shop opened and an older man rushed over to them. "Are you two alright? What happened?"

Kurt and Rachel stared at each other with wide eyes. They didn't know how to explain themselves. "M-my friend. She's pregnant. I think something might be wrong. We need to get to the hospital."

"I'll get help. Wait here," the man moved quickly toward the corner to hail a cab.

"Kurt, what are we going to tell Sam and Blaine?" Rachel said through her tears. She got to her feet and glanced toward the man on the corner, where a cab pulled up. The man pointed the driver in their direction.

"We'll worry about that later. Let's just get this taken care of first," Kurt slot got to his feet and felt the ground spin beneath him.

"B-but what about Belle?" Rachel asked, trying to steady him.

Kurt opened the can door for her, trying to hide the searing pain in his knee, and said, "Well, knowing that her kidnapper is in Manhattan, I don't think Belle is in Ohio anymore."


	16. Week 16 - The Voice

A knock came on the door of Blaine's office. "Yes?" he said.

A nurse poked her head in and said, "Doctor Anderson, there's a call for you."

"Thank you, Holly," Blaine followed her out and picked up the call. "Doctor Anderson."

"Doctor Anderson, this is nurse Stacy from the emergency room. We have a Kurt Hummel and Rachel Berry here that asked to call for you," the voice on the other end of the line replied.

"I'm sorry, what?" Blaine almost dropped the phone. "What happened?"

"Um there was a bit of a... situation. If you could come down when you can, I can explain in further detail," Stacy told him.

"I'll be right there," Blaine hung up. He rushed to Holly and said, "Cancel my appointments for the rest of the day. There was a family emergency."

"yes sir," Holly nodded.

Blaine took off down the hall and called the elevator. Heart beating quickly in his chest, situations kept cropping up in his mind. What could have happened?

He found Stacy right away. She stood by, almost like she knew he would be there within three minutes. "You must be Doctor Anderson. Your husband said you'd be right here."

"Where is he? Is he okay?" Blaine asked.

"He's in X-Ray right now. They want to run a couple different tests. They stitched up a gash on his head, but he injured his knee as well," Stacy said.

"And Rachel?" Blaine gulped, his thoughts on the baby.

"Having an ultrasound down to make sure things are stable with the baby," Stacy replied calmly.

Running a trembling hand over his face, Blaine asked, "How did this happen?"

"Details are fuzzy. It sounded like they were ambushed by someone that was looking for them. I'm not really sure," Stacy said. "I'll let you know when I hear something."

"thank you," Blaine replied. He found a seat in the waiting room and tried to distract himself with a magazine but it didn't work at all.

What could have happened? We're the police not there like they said they would be? Did this mean that they still knew nothing about Belle?

In time, Stacy came back and said, "Blaine, your husband wants to see you."

Heart pounding, he followed her back to a bed, where Kurt was propped up. His eyes were closed and his face was pale. The moment Blaine sat on the bed, his eyes fluttered open.

"hey," Blaine whispered, touching his hand.

"Hi," Kurt whispered, giving a weak smile.

"How are you feeling?" Blaine asked.

"Tired," Kurt admitted. "I have a terrible headache. My knee really hurts."

"What happened?" Blaine encouraged him.

"They took us... in a van... Couldn't see where," he trailed off, closing his eyes.

"Did they take the money?" Blaine asked, slightly confused. "Why weren't the police there to help? They told us they would be."

"Never made it there," Kurt mumbled, closing his eyes again.

Stacy came around the curtain and said, "He's a little out of it right now. He's got a concussion, unfortunately. He hit his head pretty hard. We had to put in ten stitches."

"Kurt," Blaine whispered. Stroking the back of his hand with his thumb.

"We know that he injured his knee but I'm not sure yet what the results of that will be," Stacy said. "Just hang tight for a little while."

"And Rachel?" Blaine asked, his stop turning.

"She'll be in momentarily," Stacy replied. She disappeared around the curtain, leaving Kurt and Blaine alone.

"I should have been with you," Blaine said, tears welling in his eyes. He squeezed Kurt's hand tightly. "I thought it would be okay. I thought things would be fine with the police involved. I'm so sorry I wasn't there with you, babe. Thus wasn't supposed to happen."

"Blaine," Kurt opened his eyes to look at him. They were unfocused and Blaine noticed a large bruise under his right eye. "We didn't know."

"I still should have been with you," Blaine could no longer hold back his tears. "I'm so sorry, Kurt." He leaned forward, burying his face in Kurt's chest.

After a bit, Stacy announced that Rachel had returned. "The ultrasound shows that there was no evident injury to the baby. She did well to protect herself. Her wrist was sprained in the process but it'll be fine soon enough."

Rachel came around the corner and gave a weak smile. She had a brace on her wrist and several bruises on her face and arms. "Hi Blaine," she said quietly.

"Rachel, I want you to follow up with your OB in a week to make sure things are okay. If you have any symptoms or notice anything at all, call your doctor," Stacy said.

"Okay," Rachel nodded.

When Stacy disappeared, Blaine pulled Rachel into a tight embrace. "Are you okay?" he asked.

When she pulled back, Rachel said, "Honestly, I think I'm more emotionally scarred that physically. I'll be okay, really."

"And they're sure the baby's okay?" Blaine asked, his hands moving to her stomach.

She nodded, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "I really did my best to break my fall. Once I realized what they were doing, I knew what I had to do."

"Thank you," Blaine said, hugging her once more. "I can't imagine something going wrong with the baby as well."

"How's Kurt?" Rachel asked. Her eyes shifted in his direction.

Another voice answered that question for him, "X-Ray shows that the patella was fractured in the fall. Seems the impact was more than your knee could take," a man came around the curtain. "I'm Doctor Schwartz. I trust everything went well with your ultrasound, Ms. Berry."

"Yes, thank you," Rachel replied.

"So what does this mean for Kurt?" Blaine asked.

"It means that he'll have to stay off that knee for a while. In some cases, surgery is required, depending on how the bone was broken. This was an easier situation, but he will be off it," Dr. Schwartz explained.

Beside Blaine, Kurt groaned. "I walk to work," he stated groggily.

"Until that concussion clears, you aren't going to work," Dr. Schwartz told him. "I can't send you to work like this."

"What?!" Kurt jumped. Wincing, he closed his eyes and said, "I can't miss work. I have so much to do and not enough time."

"I can't send you to work with a concussion and you need to be off that knew for at least a week," Dr. Schwartz told him seriously. "I'm sorry. You're just going to have to take it easy."

Kurt didn't respond.

Blaine knew that was going to be a hard thing for Kurt to do. He placed a hand on Kurt's shoulder and said, "We'll get through this."

"You can sit home and watch musicals with me all day," Rachel teased.

"There are two police officers here to speak to you," Stacy poked her head around the curtain. "They said it was urgent."

"I'll be back," Dr. Schwartz excused himself.

Two men walked in and Blaine felt his chest tighten. "We're you the two involved in today's task?" Blaine asked bluntly. He was angry that they hadn't done their part in this.

"Yes," one of them replied. "I'm Officer Doyle and this is Officer Lucas. We waited for you for some time before we knew something was wrong. We were informed that you w ere brought here."

"You were?" Rachel asked.

"Yes," Officer Lucas said. "Seems an old man called the police to warn us of an abduction he thought took place near the coffee shop. He said the people went to the hospital from there."

"You were our first guess," Officer Doyle admitted. "When you didn't dhow, we came to check out the situation. It seems we were right. Do you care to explain what happened?"

"We were heading to the coffee shop. We were taken by surprise, blindfolded and shoved in a black van," Rachel said with a shaky voice.

"Took the money," Kurt confirmed.

"They put us back in the van and dropped us off somewhere else. The street was empty but I think he saw it happen," Rachel concluded.

"Did you get the license plate number off the van?" Officer Lucas asked.

"No, we were blindfolded," Kurt said.

"And your injuries?" Officer Doyle pressed.

"Some were obtained while we were with them. Others were getting tossed from the vehicle," Rachel concluded. "They were really mean."

"Did they give you any information about Annabelle?" Officer Doyle asked.

"July first," Kurt mumbled.

"Yes, they said to have the next $150,000 by July First," Rachel sat down at the foot of Kurt's bed. "They also said that this was planned. They knew Kurt and Blaine would have the police waiting. It was sort of a setup so you wouldn't be with them. I wasn't even supposed to be there."

"Is there anything else you can recall? Did you ever see their faces? Did you recognize a voice or suspect where you were?" Officer Lucas asked.

Thinking about their answer, Kurt and Rachel exchanged looks. "I had no idea where we were or who we were with," Rachel said. "We were blindfolded the entire time."

"I don't either," Kurt said.

"The voice did sound familiar to me though," Rachel added. "Like I've heard it a while ago but I don't know who it belongs to."

"No word on Annabelle?" Officer Lucas asked.

"They hardly mentioned her," Rachel said. "All they said was Kurt was an easy victim just like his daughter."

The statement made Blaine's stomach turn. He didn't want to imagine what Kurt or Belle had been through, especially since Belle had been with these people for weeks.

"If you have any other information or if you recall anything that happened today, please let us know," Officer Doyle said. "Especially if you recall who the voice belongs to."

"Thank you," Blaine said. He reached for Rachel's hand and said, "I really am sorry you had to go through this today."

"It's okay, really. We didn't know this was going to happen," she reassured him.

"And you can't think of the voice at all?" Blaine asked. "Anything that might give you a clue?"

"I'll do everything I can to think of it but I don't think I've heard it in a long time," Rachel frowned. "I'm sorry I can't do more for you."

"It's not your fault," Blaine reassured her. "We'll figure this out."

* * *

"It's a good thing we have an elevator," Kurt said, as they entered the apartment the following day. He had been kept overnight at the hospital for observation. "I think I would die if I had to take the stairs all the time."

"And you guys think I'm a drama queen," Rachel shook her head.

"Because you are," Kurt and Blaine said in unison.

"You're not, honey," Sam said, kissing her forehead.

"Hmm," Rachel replied.

When Kurt sat down, Blaine took his crutches and set them on the floor at his feet. "Is there anything I can get you, my love?"

"No," Kurt said shortly.

"Do you guys need anything?" Sam asked. "It's been a rough week if there's anything Rachel and I can do for you, let us know."

"The only thing I need is Belle," Blaine said bitterly. "And that's not something we're ever going to get at this rate." He turned to face to Rachel, "Are you sure you can't remember who the voice belonged to?"

Closing her eyes, Rachel said, "I'm not sure. It's no one I'm too familiar with. I would know if I knew the person well. I just feel like I've heard it somewhere. I can't put my finger on where though."

"How is that ever going to get us anywhere?" Kurt tossed his hands up in the air. "Are we just supposed to sit around and wait for Rachel to remember? Belle can't wait that long."

"Kurt, I'm doing the best I can!" Rachel crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "I've been stacking my brain since yesterday."

"No, that's not the solution. Leave her alone, Kurt. She's been through just as much as you," Sam snapped, wrapping his arm around Rachel's waist.

Since the incident, Kurt had been in a terrible mood and Rachel had been overly sensitive. It was hard keeping them from getting upset with each other.

"Look, you guys have been through quite the ordeal. Let's just take a break and regroup tomorrow. Maybe we can come up with a solution," Blaine decided.

"Good idea," Sam nodded. "See you then." He led Rachel out of the apartment without another word .

Blaine turned to Kurt and took his hands, "You've been through a lot. Maybe you should just go get some sleep."

"Yeah, okay," Kurt said quietly. He carefully moved into the bedroom and Blaine followed.

"Do you need help with anything?" Blaine asked. He didn't want to push Kurt's buttons.

"No," Kurt said shortly, sitting on the side of the bed.

"Kurt, we are going to figure this out," Blaine replied. "I'm not waiting another two and a half months to get this sorted out."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Kurt snapped. "I have no idea who we were with Blaine and Rachel doesn't either." Years formed in his eyes and his lip quivered, "I'm just so tired of this. I hate that we went through all of that and got nowhere. Rachel doesn't know who it was any more than I do."

"But she does know," Blaine replied. "We just have to get her to remember."

"That's not exactly an easy thing to do when we have nothing to go on," Kurt hissed. He bowed his head and sat in silence for a moment, letting his tears fall.

"Do you want to talk about what happened? Maybe it will help," Blaine cupped his hand over Kurt's cheek and brushed a tear away with his thumb.

"No," Kurt said wearily. "I don't even want to think about it. The police aren't going to find him anyway."

"Then we'll have to find the kidnapper ourselves," Blaine said slowly.

"And how are we going to do that?" Kurt raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know but we'll figure it out," Blaine said.

Kurt sighed in defeat, "I just hate this whole situation. I wish I could've done more yesterday. Something to set this in motion. Instead we're stuck in the same spot, only now I'm off work."

Blaine knelt down in front of him and took his hands, "You returned home safely with Rachel. That's worth more to me than you know."

"Yeah," Kurt whispered.

"I can't imagine losing you too," Blaine said,

"You're not going to lose me. No matter what happens, we'll always be together," Kurt said softly, meeting Blaine's lips in a tender kiss.

* * *

Several days passed before Sam and Rachel came around. Sam sent Blaine a text message saying Rachel needed some space. It was probably a good thing, because Kurt was in a terrible mood all week due to being off work.

On Friday, Sam called Blaine that morning and said, "I think Rachel needs to talk about what happened. Would Kurt want Rachel to keep him company today?"

"Yeah, I think that'd be a good idea. He's been cooped up all week and he could use the company," Blaine replied. "I can't get him to talk to me either."

"Great. She'll head over as soon as she's up for the day," Sam said.

"Okay. Swing by after work. I think the four of us should sit down and figure things out," Blaine told him.

He went through the day thinking about Kurt and how vulnerable he has been since the incident. It worried Blaine. There was so much he wished he could do for his husband.

When he entered the apartment later that evening, Kurt, Rachel, and Sam were seated on the couch. Kurt had his leg propped up on the coffee table, while Rachel sat curled into Sam's side. A bowl of popcorn between her and Kurt.

"Blaine! Come see this!" Rachel called from the couch. She picked up the bowl and set it in her lap. "We got so bored, we dug out old home movies."

"Oh no," Blaine groaned.

"Oh yes," Sam smirked. "I'm glad you're mom gave these to you."

"What are you watching?" Blaine asked, already embarrassed.

"Your first performance with the Warblers. Come watch," Rachel said.

Blaine sat on the arm of the couch beside Kurt, placing a hand on his shoulder. Kurt smiled weakly up at him. "Doing okay?" Blaine asked."

"Fine," Kurt nodded.

An image of Dalton Blazers appeared on the screen. Blaine was in front leading the group. This was there sectionals of the first year he performed, already leading the group. His family had all come down to support him. The Warblers performed two songs before leaving the stage.

The tape cut to the announcer giving the news that the Warblers had won and we're moving on to regionals. The entire group jumped and cheered, as Blaine took the trophy from the announcer.

Once again, the tape cut to a new scene. A young version of Blaine stood before the camera holding the trophy. "Regionals, here we come!" he beamed.

"How does it feel?" his father asked from behind the camera. Blaine felt his stomach turn at the sound of his father's voice. It was the first he had heard it since his father passed away.

"I can't believe we got here. I thought we'd lose if I led the group," Blaine laughed.

"With your terrible voice," Cooper appeared on the screen, rustling Blaine's hair. "I'm just kidding. You were incredible. Someday you could join the music business and we'd be Hollywood's best brothers."

"Cooper," his father said with a warning tone. "It's all in good fun. Your brother knows this isn't serious. He's not going to make the same mistake you did."

Just like the boy in the video, Blaine's face fell. His father had been disapproving from the beginning of his passion for music.

"Or maybe you could take Blaine's interests more seriously like you didn't with me," Cooper flipped off the camera before disappearing.

"Are any high school competitions a serious thin?," another voice said. Blaine's Uncle Timothy had appeared. "You couldn't be into something exciting like football?"

"I'm terrible at football," Blaine commented.

"Just like your father," Timothy laughed.

A loud crash sent the popcorn bowl to the ground. Everyone stared at Rachel, who was now on her feet. She moved to the television and knelt down in front of it as Blaine's father and uncle teased each other.

"What's wrong, Rachel?" Sam asked.

"It's him," Rachel whispered.

"What?" Blaine and Sam asked.

"It's him," Rachel continued to stare at the screen. "It was his voice I remembered."

"My Uncle?" Blaine asked.

"Yes," she hissed.

"Kurt sat forward, listening intently, "it does sort of sound like that guy."

"I knew I had heard his voice, because I met him when Blaine and I dated," Rachel turned to face the couch. "He called me a Broadway bitch, because him and Michael thought I was ruining Blaine's future."

"Rachel, he's my uncle. Why would he kidnap my daughter?" Blaine said, surprised. "He's not that kind of person."

"Blaine," Rachel said firmly. "I know what I heard. His voice has been haunting me for days. He's the man that has Belle."

* * *

**Hi everyone! **

**So sorry for the long hiatus. A reader pointed out some flaws I had in the story and I decided to take a break and think things through. Undortunately, my hiatus ended up longer than I expected but I'm back now. I've got a new perspective on things, and as long as people are still interested, I'm willing to keep this story going.**


	17. Week 17 - Convincing Jill

The airport was crowded that Sunday. Blaine waited in the baggage claim for twenty minutes before he spotted Pam Anderson.

"Mom," he embraced her in a warm hug. It was hard to believe how comforting to was to see her. "It's so good to see you."

"I'm always happy to see you, sweetie. I'm sorry we're late. The flight was delayed," Pam Anderson said, studying her son's face carefully. "I don't understand why you suddenly flew me here. Should I be worried? Is it Belle? Is it the baby?" Pam said, as she searched the belt for her suitcase.

"It... " Blaine hesitated. "It has to do with Belle. We think we know who the kidnapper is but we're not sure what to do with that information."

"And you think I can help?" Pam raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," Blaine breathed.

"Aunt Pam, I've got your bag right here," Blaine's cousin Jill came around the side of the belt. She handed it to her and turned to Blaine. "Hi there, Blaine. Nice to see you again."

"Thanks for coming," Blaine nodded, as they headed toward the exit. "I have something I need to talk to you about and I hope you don't mind an audience.

"I'm confused," Jill said.

"Good to know," Blaine said. That comment implied that there was a chance she didn't know anything.

He hailed a cab outside of the airport and took his mother and cousin to his apartment. Blaine knew there was a chance this could lead him to Belle, so he had to be careful about how he handled it. There was no way he could do it alone.

When they arrived at the apartment, Kurt, Rachel, and Sam were waiting for the arrival of their guests. Rachel was in the kitchen preparing dinner, while Sam and Kurt sat on the couch watching a comedy on the television.

"Hi everyone!" Pam greeted the room. "Rachel, you're glowing." She greeted her with a hug. "And my grand baby is growing. Look at you. There's no hiding that baby anymore."

"Thanks," Rachel blushed. She hated when people commented on her size.

"Kurt, what happened to your knee?" Jill asked, noticing Kurt on the couch with his leg propped up.

"The reason you're here," Blaine replied, as Sam turned off the television and stood up. "We had a... situation last week that I need to discuss with you, but I need to know what you're aware of."

"Okay," Jill looked even more confused than she had at the airport.

"Have you spoken to your dad recently?" Blaine asked.

"No... I haven't seen him since your dad's funeral," Jill told him. "He was pretty bummed about it. They were brothers. I suppose he's just mourning. I was giving him space."

"Has he been around? You haven't seen him in town or anything? Has anyone else in the family?" Blaine asked. "Have you been to his house?"

"No and I don't understand why it matters," Jill said defensively. "What's with the twenty questions? You're acting like my dad did something illegal."

Blaine exchanged looks with Kurt before asking, "Did he mention my family at all to you at the funeral or after?"

"He asked if I had spoken to you and I told him yes," Jill explained, sitting in the chair across from Kurt. "He asked if we had a chance to catch up. I told him that we had a brief conversation. You introduced me to Kurt and I thought he was a very nice person." She shrugged, "I also mentioned that you said you were staying a few days in town to clean out your father's house."

Blaine and Kurt exchanges the same wide-eyed stare. "That's how he knew," Blaine said more to himself than anyone. "He knew we'd be there."

"I wonder if he specifically came for that reason," Kurt's face went pale.

"What are you guys talking about? What did my dad do?" Jill asked.

"We think your dad kidnapped our daughter," Blaine told her. He watched Sam shift toward the door in a defensive stance. They didn't know how Jill would react to this statement.

"My dad wouldn't kidnap anyone," Jill rose from her chair. "That's insane."

"Jill, please," Blaine stepped in her way and Sam closed in. "I know it's hard to believe but the odds are against him. He hates me. My husband and Rachel heard his voice when they were attacked a week and a half ago."

"No, stop!" Jill said sharply. "That's crazy. My dad wouldn't attack anyone and he didn't hate you."

"He never really liked Blaine," Pam said suddenly from her spot in the kitchen by Rachel. She stepped toward Jill and Rachel followed.

"How would you know?" Jill snapped, rounding on Pam.

"Because Michael hardly liked Blaine," Pam looked at her son and pity consumed her expression. "Michael only ever wanted his children to be perfect. He wanted doctors or lawyers for sons. Someone to bring money to the family. He grew up being treated the same way from his father."

"That's no excuse," Blaine crossed his arms over his chest.

"It started when Cooper auditioned for his first commercial. He had been in theater, and Michael reminded him that it was a hobby. He also tried telling Cooper that basketball or football would be better for him. When Cooper told us he auditioned, he argued with his father for a good hour before Michael banned Cooper from doing it. He said that, if Cooper went through with it, he wouldn't be allowed back in his home. "

"Is that why Coop was never around? I thought he was too involved in his career to care about any of us," Blaine was beginning to feel nauseous.

"Cooper certainly kept his distance after that," she confirmed. "He wanted to be there for you more but it wasn't easy with you living under our roof."

"That's ridiculous," Blaine replied. "I knew he didn't get along with dad but I didn't know it was that bad."

"So when you took up singing with the Warblers, Michael was so angry. He so desperately didn't want you to follow in Cooper's footsteps," Pam said, tears welling in her eyes. "And when you came out of the closet, it drew a line. He was so done. He was furious. Gay wasn't okay. And I didn't know what to do. You were my boy but I couldn't walk away from him. Even after we split, I still went back to him. He was all I knew."

Blaine watched his mother in sadness. Hearing the truth about his past was heartbreaking. It was too much to handle.

"But Tim didn't agree with it either. He was always harsh on Jill as well," Pam said. When him and Muchael got together, I felt like they spent more time complaining about their children instead of talking about the good they had accomplished."

"Yeah, but my dad wasn't cruel. The fact that Blaine is gay or sings or whatever wouldn't make him want to kidnap Belle," Jill said defensively. "I still love my dad. You guys are talking crazy."

Placing his hands on her shoulders, Blaine looked into her eyes and said firmly, "Jill, please. I wouldn't accuse just anyone of doing this. I trust what Kurt and Rachel say. They heard his voice."

Sitting on the couch, Rachel took Kurt's hand and said, "I know what I heard, Jill. His voice has been haunting me. Watching this home movie the other day, I recognized the voice immediately. Kurt knew it too."

Jill bit her lip nervously. "This is insane," she said. "My dad's not a monster."

"Grief can bring out a lot of emotions. We've lost people close to us too. We know it's hard," Rachel said quietly. "Maybe your dad is overwhelmed."

"Can you just try to help us out?" Kurt asked. "Give your dad a call or try to get some information from him? Find out where he is or why he hasn't been around."

Running her hands over her face, Jill sighed heavily, "Fine. I'll call him for you, not to help, but to prove you wrong. I'll prove to you that my dad is innocent."

* * *

When Sam and Rachel left after dinner that evening, Blaine took his mother's bag and led her to Belle's room to get settled.

"I hope you don't mind sleeping in Belle's room. I mean, the bed's comfortable. I sometimes sleep in here when she gets afraid of thunderstorms. Our bed gets crowded," Blaine said, his stomach flipping at the memory.

"It's okay," Pam smiled. "It reminds me of her. Such a sweet girl. I miss her, you know?"

"I miss her every minute of every day," Blaine whispered, tears forming in his eyes. He turned away from her, picking up a snow globe off the dresser and examining it.

"How are you holding up, honey? Are you doing okay?" Pam cupped her hand over his cheeks. "This must be so hard on you."

"I just miss her so much," Blaine said quietly, staring at the globe. "I miss taking her to school, playing dolls with her, braiding her hair... Sometimes I still set the table for three before I realize I need to put a plate away."

"Sweetie..." Pam pulled him into a hug. She rubbed his back soothingly. "We're going to get her back, I promise. We'll find Tim."

"You believe me?" Blaine asked.

"Of course I believe you," Pam pulled away from him. She looked into his eyes and took his hand in hers, squeezing it gently. "You have a good heart, and I know you wouldn't accuse anyone without facts."

"I trust Kurt and Rachel," Blaine said. "I know my proof would be better... If I had just been there, I would have known."

"There's nothing you can do to change that," Pam said. "You can't change what happened."

"I could have protected them," Blaine felt the weight of the situation on his shoulders. The guilt of leaving Belle alone at all. "I should have protected her." His voice cracked. "I never should have left her alone. This is all my fault."

"It's not your fault," Pam said. She stroked his cheek. "Don't blame yourself for this, Blaine. You didn't know this was going to happen.."

He hadn't told anyone that he had felt responsible for any of this. He hadn't even told Kurt that he felt guilty every single day since Belle's disappearance.

Blaine stepped away from her and wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his sweater. "I'm sorry. Sometimes I think being in here makes it worse. I feel closer to her and feeling close to her makes me feel so far from her... Maybe that sounds weird but that's how I feel. I rarely come in here."

"Don't lose sight of her, honey. Hold her close to your heart. Set the table for her. Come visit her room. Walk by her school. She's not gone. Don't treat Belle like she's gone. She still needs you," Pam said. "If I ever lost you, that's what I would do."

"Thanks, mom," Blaine smiled weakly. "I think I needed to hear that." He has been pushing her away, afraid of the memories. Thinking about Belle hurt too much, so he tried to avoid the pain, but it never helped. Maybe that was because it wasn't the right thing to do. Maybe Blaine did need to hold Belle close to his heart.

"I hate seeing you sad, my love. I want you to try to be happy," Pam told him.

"Okay," he tried to sound convincing. "I'll try."

"Good," Pam shuffled toward the door and said, "Go make sure Jill gets settled in on the couch okay before you head to bed."

"I will," Blaine turned to leave. When he reached the doorway,he stopped and said, "Thanks, mom. For everything. I haven't given you enough credit for staying by my side all these years."

"I'll always be by your side, son," Pam replied.

* * *

Kurt sat on the edge of the bed the two days later staring at the wall in front of him. His face was pale and his expression blank.

"I'm heading out to work. Do you need anything before I go?" Blaine poked his head in the doorway. "My mom and Jill will more than likely hang around if you need anything today."

"I'm okay," Kurt shook his head.

"Are you sure?" Blaine stepped closer. "I know you're tired of being home every day. I wish you could go back to work."

"It's not that," Kurt shook his head. "It's just this whole business with Tim and Jill. What if we can't convince her to believe us? She could be our ticket to Belle. If Jill doesn't help, we might not reach Belle."

"We'll find a way to make it happen," Blaine sat beside him and wrapped his arm around his waist. "I know she's stubborn, but I don't blame her. At first, I couldn't believe Tim would do that either."

"But you do," Kurt replied.

"Yeah, because I trust your word," Blaine said. "It's only complicated because family got brought into it. Jill might just have to figure this out on her own time. She'll get there."

"What if we're wrong?" Kurt asked. "What if we find him and learn that he doesn't have Belle? We'll have to start from scratch."

"We'll keep looking until we find her," Blaine placed his other hand on Kurt's cheek. "We will find her, Kurt. It might just take a while. We won't know until we try your theory."

"I don't know if I can handle any more disappointment," Kurt whispered, shaking his head. "After the incident a couple weeks ago, I've felt so hopeless. I feel like we'll never find her."

"I know the feeling," Blaine said.

"I miss her, Blaine. I can't take much more of this," Kurt said, tears rolling down his cheeks. "My heart feels incomplete without her."

Leaning forward, Blaine gently kissed Kurt, as tears continued to fall. This was the most Kurt had opened up since the incident. Blaine wanted to comfort him, to let him know it was okay to be open about it.

When they broke apart, Blaine wiped a tear off his cheek with his thumb and said, "My mom reminded me last night that Belle is still with us. She needs us, and that's why we need to fight for her."

"It's just getting hard to keep fighting," Kurt bowed his head.

"I know. That's how I feel," Blaine said. This made him realize that Kurt was struggling just as much as him. "And it's also why we need to keep fighting. Belle needs us to keep fighting."

Looking deeply into his eyes, Kurt gave a weak smile and said, "Yeah, you're right... I'm sorry. Sometimes I just get overwhelmed."

"I do too," Blaine said. "I had one of those moments a couple days ago with my mom."

"I wish I had known," Kurt said, grabbing Blaine's hand from his face and kissing it. "I think we need to communicate better on our feelings."

"I feel like you've been so sensitive since the incident. I didn't know how to approach you. I don't want to make you feel worse than you already do," Blaine said.

Kurt kissed him once more. "Blaine, you are my safe place. If there's one thing that makes me feel better, it's you. I have been a little out of my mind since the incident but you will always be the one thing that brings me back to reality. I need you."

"I need you too," Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt, pulling him into a tight embrace. "I want to be here for you. I'm making it my goal to stay open with my feelings in this."

Kurt pulled back, staring into Blaine's eyes. "No more drinking. No more silence. No more pushing our feelings about Belle away. We need I be each other's first priority."

"I'm so sorry I've been distant with you," Blaine said quietly.

"Me too," Kurt nodded. "I love you so much, Blaine."

"I love you too," Blaine leaned in to kiss him once more.

* * *

"So this is where you work, huh?" Jill said, as Blaine entered the waiting room at the end of his shift. "I loved seeing your name on the door. Dr. Anderson," she punched his arm.

"I cried the first time I saw it," Blaine laughed. "Although I think Kurt cried harder."

"I remember when you were ten and swore you were going to be a rockstar " Jill chuckled. "I guess this is probably just as cool. You can inspire people every day. Make a difference in lives."

"I love my job," Blaine admitted. "Every kid is different and there's so much I can do to help them. I think it beats playing concerts."

"It's funny how dreams change I never thought I'd still be working as a waitress," Jill shrugged. "I wanted to be a ballerina when I was ten."

"Belle wants to be a ballerina," Blaine said softly. "She's taken ballet the last two years." He flinched at the thought.

"Blaine..." Jill hesitated. "I'm really sorry about what happened to your daughter." Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she added, "I want to help any way I can... I thought about the accusations against my dad and I do want to call him. Either I'll find out he's a jerk or I'm prove him innocent will lead you in another direction, the right one."

"Thanks, Jill. I'm glad you're willing to help," Blaine said. "Let's grab some coffee and see where we can go with this. It'd be easier on you if you didn't have an audience."

Blaine and Jill made their way to the nearest coffee shop. They picked up drinks and began walking toward Central Park. They found the nearest bench in the park and sat down.

"What do I say?" Jill asked, pulling her phone out of her pocket. "I can't sound too suspicious."

"Just try to work an answer out of him the best you can. He's your dad. You're allowed to ask questions," Blaine reassured her. He placed a hand on her knee in comfort.

Taking a deep breath, Jill dialed a number and put it on speakerphone. "Here goes nothing," she said.

"Hello?" Tim's voice answered after four rings.

"Dad, hi," Jill said nervously.

"How are you? You sound funny," Tim replied.

"Oh, I just broke up with Daniel. It's been tough on me. I was... I was wondering if I could come by and see you. I just need to be around a familiar face," Jill explained.

"Oh, Jill, I wish you could but I'm out of town on business. I'm not sure what day I'm coming back yet," Tim told her. "You should call Caroline."

"She's working," Jill said. "When are you coming home? I haven't seen you in a while."

"I'm in New Jersey," he replied. "I'll be home soon and then we can catch up."

"What's in New Jersey?" Jill asked.

"I told you that I'm on business," Tim sounded slightly annoyed.

"Okay... Well, I miss you," Jill said.

"Miss you too. I'll talk to you soon, okay?" Tim told her

Blaine took in a sharp breath. He wasn't ready to let this call go yet. If Tim did have Belle, they were so close to getting somewhere. She could be somewhere on the other side of the phone line. "Keep going," he whispered.

"Could I come meet you there?" Jill asked. "I really don't think I can handle being alone. Daniel and I were getting serious and I just feel so lost right now."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Jill," Tim said. "You're a strong girl. I think you'll get through it."

"We could meet in the city. I've been dying for an excuse to get to New York," Jill tried. "Didn't you learn from Uncle Mike dying that life's too short and family should spend time together while they can?"

There was a long pause, before Tim said, "I guess I should be giving you more attention... Will it just be you meeting me?"

"Of course. Who else would I be with?" Jill asked, staring into Blaine's eyes.

"Silly question. You did say you broke up with Daniel," Tim said. "When will you fly in?"

"Will Thursday work?" Jill asked.

"Thursday would be fine," Tim replied. "I'll see you then. I'll give you details on where we will meet in a couple days."

"I'll look forward to it." The phone clicked and Jill stared at it hopelessly, "That didn't get me anywhere. I don't know what to think."

"I hope you didn't give too much away," Blaine said. "Was asking to come too much? If he knows we're on to him, he might change his location or, I don't know, punish Belle. What if he doesn't show?"

"There is one thing you can tell the police: My dad said he's in New Jersey," Jill pocketed her phone. "They could try to find him."

"Unless he was purposely misleading you," Blaine replied.

"It couldn't hurt to try," Jill shrugged. "We'll see how the meeting goes first. I didn't want him to know I was already here or he'd know I was with you. I had to give it time."

"So you believe me about all of this?" Blaine asked hopefully.

"I'm not sure. But your husband dragged my dad in to this, even if he doesn't belong, so it's my job to either help him or turn him in," she replied.


	18. Week 18 - A New Perspective

Sam Evans left his apartment that Monday with a spring in his step. He had plans for that evening that he just couldn't get out of his mind.

All that day in his classroom, his mind was on Rachel. She had been unusually quiet the last three weeks and it was starting to worry Sam. He knew that if he was going to help her, now was his time to take action.

After the long school day ended and the last of his students left, Sam called Rachel. "Hey, babe. I'm going to stay after today to grade some papers. I should be home in about an hour. Get dressed. I'm taking you out tonight."

"Sam, I look terrible today. I'm still in my pajamas. The last thing I want to do is go somewhere," Rachel whined into the phone.

"Please just do this for me?" Sam begged. He really needed to get Rachel out of the mood she was in. "I promise you won't regret it."

She sighed, "Fine but take your time. It may take me more than an hour to get ready," Rachel said.

Sam chuckled, "Rachel, you would look gorgeous in your pajamas."

""Shut up," she hung up.

Sam worked quickly through his papers, too eager to get home to Rachel. It still took him well over an hour before he left to pick up Rachel.

When he arrived at the apartment, she was applying her makeup. "I told you to take your time," Rachel said when he walked into the bathroom. She wore a form-fitting black dress that did nothing to hide her growing baby bump. Her hair was tied up in a bun.

Sam smiled, "Rachel, you look perfect. There's no need to finish."

"Sam Evans, stop making me blush," Rachel laughed. She put the finishing touches on her makeup before moving into the bedroom and slipping on shoes.

"Can you walk in those heels?" Sam raised an eyebrow at her.

She hit his arm, "Do you want me to go with you or not, Sam?"

"I'm sorry, you're right. It completes the outfit you look wonderful Sam smiles softly.

"Now you're just saying that to be polite," Rachel turned to glance in the mirror. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and said, "we both know I look fat."

Sam came up behind her. D wrapped his arms around her waist, placing his hands over hers, "No. You look pregnant and you've never looked better."

She stared at their reflection in the mirror and sighed, "You at least know how to make a girl feel better. Damn hormones."

Sam chuckled, spinning her around to face him. He placed his arms around her torso, pulling her body close to his. "Rachel Barbra Berry, What did I say when you first approached me about being a surrogate for Kurt and Blaine?"

"That it's not the size of my belly that counts, it's the size of my heart," Rachel rolled her eyes. "That's still the cheesiest thing you've ever said."

" But it's so true," Sam gently pressed his lips to hers. "Your heart matters most to me. And this..." he placed his hands on her stomach. "This is temporary. You're mine entirely."

"Okay, you've reached your limit of cheesiness today," Rachel stepped away from him. "Take me out to dinner before I change my mind and go on a date with Netflix."

"Right, because your sappy romance movies aren't cheesy enough," Sam teased.

They were soon on their way to the restaurant Sam had booked reservations at earlier in the week. He grabbed her hand and led her inside.

"Sam, this is too much," Rachel breathed, admiring the beautiful architecture of the building. She glanced up at the chandelier in the entryway and gasped, "It's beautiful."

"Because someone as beautiful as you deserves a beautiful place like this," Sam said, kissing her cheek. He then followed the hostess to their table and pulled out Rachel's seat for her.

They ordered their food in time. Rachel was quiet, like she had been for a couple weeks. She stared at her hands for a long moment after the waiter left.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked, reaching across the table and taking her hands in his. "I'm worried about you. You haven't been yourself since the incident."

"I'm just tired," she shrugged. "I forgot how tiring pregnancy can be."

"Rachel, come on, I know you," Sam said, squeezing her hand in comfort. "It's more than just that. Please talk to me. Don't keep your emotions bottled up. It'll make things worse."

She took a deep breath. "I just can't get it out of my head, what happened a couple weeks ago. It was terrifying. I keep thinking about Belle. I can't imagine what she's going through. I hate the thought of her getting mistreated."

"She'll be okay," Sam said, trying to reassure himself as well. He couldn't guarantee Bell's safety, but he hoped more than anything that she was safe.

"I just feel so helpless, so emotional," Rachel said. "I want our family to be whole again. I feel so terrible for Kurt and Blaine. This has been so hard on them, more than it's been hard on us. They raised her."

"I wish I could make you feel better," Sam said, rubbing his thumb along the back of her hand. "I always wish I could make you feel better when you're sad or angry. I wish I could protect you from every form of harm. These last few months have been so difficult, and I wish I could take your pain away."

"Sam, you're here. That's enough," Rachel smiled sweetly, causing his stomach to flip. "As long as I have you, I can get through anything."

"I'm glad you feel that way. I want to be here for you through everything in life, Rachel. I want to comfort you. I want to be there for every sad and for every happy moment," Sam took a deep breath. "I would have done this more properly with a ring, but I sold it to help Belle."

"Sam..." Rachel whispered. Tears formed in her eyes. As Sam got to the floor on one knee. "You don't have to do this."

"I know that your family won't be complete without Belle, but I also know that I've been the luckiest person to be a part of this family so far, and I want to make it official. So..." Squeezing her hand, he looked deeply into her brown eyes and asked, "Rachel Berry, will you marry me?"

The room went silent, as people noticed Sam on his knee. Sam hardly noticed the stares, because all he could focus on was Rachel's bright eyes. A moment seemed to drag on forever.

"Yes, Sam Evans, I will marry you," Rachel beamed, as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She climbed out of her booth and pulled Sam to his feet.

Dazed, Sam kissed her forcefully before he gave her a big hug. "I love you, Rachel."

She whispered in his ear, "I love you too." It was the only sound Sam heard over the applause that filled the restaurant.

* * *

"Read chapter seven for your homework tonight and answer the questions at the end of the chapter. We'll discuss your answers in class tomorrow," Sam said, just as the bell rang. "Have a good evening." His class began to file out of the room and Sam started putting things away in his desk drawers.

"Knock knock," Blaine entered the classroom, as the last few students filed out. "Do you have a minute to talk?"

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?" Sam asked.

"We were slow today, and I wanted to come talk to you before you went home. I need to ask a favor of you, but I didn't want to worry Rachel," Blaine said. He took a seat at a desk in the front row. "And this wasn't an appropriate conversation for my place either."

"What's up?" Sam asked, leaning against his own desk.

Blaine sighed, folding his hands on the desk, "Jill's meeting with her father in a couple days, and she's worried about going alone."

"Didn't she tell her dad she'd be alone?" Sam asked.

"Yes, and we want him to think she's alone without actually being alone. The problem is that my Uncle Tim knows Rachel, Kurt, my mom, and myself," Blaine explained.

"And he doesn't know me," Sam concluded. "So what do you want me to do?"

"Be in the same place. Be close enough just in case she needs you but not enough to be suspicious," Blaine told him.

"I don't know," Sam shrugged. "I wouldn't know what to do if he did something."

"He's not going to do anything. We'll have the police in range this time. Last time we made a mistake but we're going to have the upper hand this time."

"How?"

We'll make sure the police are there before Tim is. He's not going to hurt Jill," Blaine said. "I'm going to bring up the idea with the detective handling our case. If Jill gets anything out of him, the police will be right there to help us."

"I'm just... nervous after what happened last time," Sam shrugged.

"If I could show up myself, I would," Blaine stood up. "I don't care what it took, I'd do anything for Belle. She needs me more than I need fully working body parts."

"Then what good am I in any of this?" Sam questioned. He moved to the back of the classroom and picked up several sheets of paper off the floor.

Blaine rose from the desk and followed him. "Sam, you are an important part of this family. You're basically a third dad to Belle. I know she misses you so much." Blaine sighed and added, "Kurt and I need you, Sam. We need you to help us. We're not expecting it but we would appreciate it so much."

Sam stared into his best friend's eyes. They were full of a deep sorrow that had settled there months ago when Belle disappeared. It pained Sam to see his friend hurting so much and he knew he had to help any way he could. "Okay," he nodded.

"You'll do it?" Blaine exclaimed.

"Of course, it's for Belle," Sam said, setting the papers on a desk. "I want to follow through with being a member of this family."

"That's a spot you earned a long time ago," Blaine nudged him with his elbow.

"But I'm making it official. I proposed to Rachel yesterday," Sam said, knowing Blaine was the first he wanted to tell.

"You did?" Blaine's eyes widened. "Sam, that's wonderful!" He paused, watching Sam's expression. "Wait. She said yes, right?"

"Yeah, she did," Sam said.

"Then why do you look like you wish she hadn't?" Blaine stepped closer.

"I just hope she didn't say it for the wrong reasons," Sam said. "I thought It would be a good way to ease her mind but I want Rachel to want this because she truly wants to."

"Why wouldn't she want to? You're a great guy. She's been with you for years," Blaine said. "If she didn't want you, she would have left you by now."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Sam said. "I just know Rachel's been through a lot of heartache in her life... Losing Finn, losing you, and I just want to make sure she's truly happy."

"I'm sure she's happy," Blaine clapped a hand on her shoulder. "Along with heartache comes caution. I think Rachel's learned to protect her heart well."

"What if things go wrong with Jill's dad?" Sam asked. "I don't want to hurt her more."

Blaine chuckled, "Sam, you're going to come home Thursday. It's going to be fine, I promise. The police have this under control. You're mostly just going for Jill's sanity."

"Just for Jill?" Sam asked.

"Yes. I would do it myself but Jill wants to approach her father without causing too much suspicion. She's worried he won't cooperate if we aren't careful."

"And you're willing to take your time? Why don't they just arrest him for being a suspect?" Sam said, moving back to the front of the classroom. He grabbed the eraser and cleared the chalkboard.

"We don't even know how to find him without Jill. We have no leads. I'm hoping the police will arrest him by the end of this dinner. Jill just begged to give him a chance," Blaine told him.

"And you agreed?" Sam raised an eyebrow, setting the eraser on its tray.

Blaine shrugged, his expression turning from, "This is my daughter's life we're talking about. If Jill says we need to be careful, I don't want to be forceful."

"I guess you're right," Sam said. He placed his hands on Blaine's shoulders and said, "This is going to work out. We're going to get Belle back."

"I hope you're right," Blaine said weakly. "But thank you, Sam. I appreciate your help. I'm lucky to have you for a best friend."

* * *

Blaine and Sam arrived at the restaurant fifteen minutes before Jill and Tim were scheduled to be there. Blaine wasn't staying but he didn't want to send Sam alone, and Sam was grateful for that.

"Mr. Anderson?" A woman approached them, as they entered the restaurant "I'm Officer Kelly Delano. We discussed your daughter's case a couple days ago."

"Hi. This is my friend, Sam Evans," Blaine motioned to Sam. "He'll be with you since I can't be seen." Blaine turned to Sam and added, "Jill requested that we be casual for fear of Tim not cooperating."

"We have a couple officers on standby if you would like to wait with them," Kelly Delano said. "This is all just precaution because we don't know what we're up against."

"That would be great, thank you," Blaine said. Turning to Sam, he said, "Be careful, okay? Hopefully we'll have something figured out by the end of this."

"Yeah," Sam nodded, feeling lightheaded. "See you soon." He still couldn't understand why they had to do it like this. Why couldn't they just arrest him?

"Shall we have a seat?" the officer asked.

"Sure, Officer Delano," Sam said.

"Please, let's make this easy. You're having dinner with me. Call me Kelly," she smiled. "I'm here to help. Annabelle's case has been important to me. There's something truly awful about missing a child."

Kelly and Sam took a seat in a booth and waited patiently until Tim and Jill arrived. Sam noticed Jill right away walking next to a strange man. "That's her," he told Kelly.

Jill and Tim were seated in the booth behind Sam and Kelly. With his back to them, Sam tried to keep his face from view. He knew Tim wouldn't recognize him but he felt paranoid.

Kelly casually began rambling about her younger sister Heather getting into NYU. "I'm really proud of her, you know? She's come a long way."

"Sure," Sam nodded. He listened intently, as Tim asked Jill what happened between her and her boyfriend.

"Daniel said that he needed space. He got a new job and he wants to move out of his apartment. He said it was just time for some changes."

"And that includes ditching you?" Tim asked, his voice sounding gruff.

Kelly kept up casual conversation while Tim and Jill discussed her last relationship. Sam knew she was trying to act normal, but it was hard to listen when he was focused on Jill,

"It wasn't until Jill brought up the discussion of his travels that they listened intently.

"I'm glad we did this," Jill said. "I've missed you so much. I've been worried about you since uncle Michael's funeral."

"Why worry?" Tim asked shortly.

"Come on, you guys were close," Jill replied. "I know this was hard on you."

"Hm," Tim replied.

"Aren't you sad that he's gone? Be honest with me," Jill said quietly. "I thought maybe that was why you left. I thought maybe you needed space to recover."

"Of course I am. He was my brother. I always thought he'd be around," Tim replied. "He was the one that knew what he was doing all the time. I was so lost."

"Dad, I want to be here for you," Jill said sweetly. "I miss my boyfriend and you miss your brother. Can't I just be here with you for a little while?"

"I told you - "

"I don't have to be in your way," Jill said. "I just want to know that you're not alone. I'm your daughter. Every girl deserves a right to be with her father, especially when they need each other."

There was silence from that statement. Sam could only assume that stirred something in Michael's mind.

"I love you, you know that, right?" Jill asked.

"Yeah," Tim said quietly.

"I heard about what happened with Blaine's daughter, Belle, and I just don't want to lose time with you like Belle and Blaine are." Jill finally got to the point, causing both Sam and Kelly to go rigid.

"Belle," Tim mumbled.

"And I don't want to lose the time I have with you before it's too late. Belle's missing so much in her life, Family should always be together while they can. I don't want to regret things like you now do with uncle mike."

Silence followed once again. A long silence. Sam and Kelly strained their ears to listen. "Jill, I think I need to come home. I've made a terrible mistake," he finally replied.

"What do you mean?" Jill asked. "I thought this business was important?"

"It was... until you reminded me what's really important. You're my girl. I have something to take care of. Can I meet you at the airport for the next available flight to Ohio?" Tim suddenly jumped up from the table.

"I don't understand," Jill replied, playing dumb.

"I just - I'll see you soon," Tim leapt from the table and dashed out the door.

At this action, Sam and Kelly got up from their table Sam met Jill's surprised eyes and said, "I'm guessing you didn't know. "

"What do we do from here?" Jill asked.

"We're about to follow your father and see if he will lead us to Annabelle," Kelly said. She grabbed Sam's arm and pulled him toward the door. Jill followed.

"I want to come," she said firmly.

"That is out of the question," Kelly said.

"Please, it's my father," Jill pleaded. "I need to see for myself that I was wrong about him. I won't believe it until I see it."

Blaine and two police officers came up behind them and the taller one said, "How do we proceed from here?"

"We follow him," Kelly replied.

Blaine clapped Sam on the shoulder and gave him a stern nod. "Go home to Kurt. Let him know what's happening. I can't have you involved in this."

"I know Kurt. He'd never forgive me if I let you go through this alone. You need me," Sam reassures his best friend.

"Thanks, Sam," Blaine smiled, giving him a quick hug. He then turned to Jill and said, "I can't let you go trough with this. Go home to Kurt. Tell him we're okay. I'm sure he's worried."

"Blaine, please," Jill replied. "I might be able o help. I'm all that matters to him anymore."

The two police officers behind Blaine exchanged looks. The taller one said, "make up your mind. We're heading out with or without you."

Sam and Blaine climbed into one police car and Jill into the other. Sam glanced in Blaine's direction and noticed how pale Blaine looked. Placing a hand on top of Blaine's, Sam noticed that it was trembling. Blaine glanced up at the touch and met his eyes. "It's going to be okay," Sam said quietly.

"I just hope this leads us to her," Blaine whispered.

"We're going to get Belle back," Sam reassured him. "We're going to go get her right now."


	19. Week 19 - Rescue Mission

As the two police cars drove down the road, Blaine felt nauseous. He could barely keep his thoughts together. The only thing that felt real was Sam's hand on his knee. Blaine was so grateful to have his best friend with him, since he couldn't have Kurt. He couldn't imagine facing this alone.

He thought about Kurt though. Blaine debated whether or not he should keep his husband updated. However, Kurt was already on edge before Blaine left. The less him and Rachel knew, the better.

"There he is," Officer Delano announced. "He's getting into a cab."

"Kelly, do you really think he's going to lead us to Belle?" Sam asked.

"Hey, I'm officially back on duty. We can go back to proper names," Officer Delano replied. "And no, I think he's just trying to get away. There's a good chance he knows we're on to him. Jill questioned too far."

"Pull it over," Officer Scott told her. He sat forward in his seat. "He's not getting away. Let's just follow him and see where he goes."

They continued to drive for quite some time. Blaine hoped the cab driver wouldn't catch on that he was being followed. They soon left Manhattan and drove into the suburbs of New Jersey.

"This is where he's been hiding?" Officer Scott questioned.

Blaine watched as Tim climbed out of the cab and headed toward the house.

Before he reached the door, Officer Delano and Scott climbed out of the car. Guns raised, they hollered for him to stop.

"No!" Jill screamed. She jumped out of the second car with Officer Burns. "Please give him a chance. Please! I'm begging you."

Sam and Blaine exchanged looks before climbing out of the car themselves. If Jill was going to do anything, she was going to cause a scene.

"Jill, stop! You don't know what you're doh g," Blaine rushed over and grabbed her arm. "Let them take care of this."

A harsh laugh echoed across the lawn. "Let go of my daughter, Blaine Anderson."

Out of the corner of his eye, Blaine saw Tim holding up his own gun, aiming it at him. The sight caused Blaine to immediately drop his grip on Jill's arm before freezing.

"Hold your fire," Officer Burns called, aiming his own gun at Tim.

"Where's the girl?" Officer Delano barked.

"She's inside but you're not getting to her that easily. Go near that front door and I'll shoot her father," Tim warned, staring at Blaine with desire in his eyes. "Don't think I won't. After all, you killed my brother."

Blaine's breath caught in his chest. What did that mean? What was he supposed to do? He was so close to his Belle. She was through that front door. The only thing stopping him from getting to her was paralyzing fear.

"Daddy,,why are you doing this?" Jill asked, a hint of distress in her voice. She had tears rolling down her cheeks. "Please don't do this."

"It doesn't matter why," Tim barked. "I was going o leave with you tonight. Forget the girl. I was just going to leave her here to fend for herself. I've had enough. Doesn't that count for something?"

"Nice try," Officer Scott stepped forward. "Put the gun down and get on the ground."

Several things happened at once that left Blaine in a daze. Tim stepped toward Blaine. Officer Scott sent off his gun, aiming for Tim's leg. He and Officer Burns charged forward. Officer Delano grabbed Blaine's arm and told him to come with her. Jill rushed toward her father screaming in hysterics and Sam rushed after Blaine.

Whipping open the front door, Officer Delano, Blaine, and Sam rushed in. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. "Belle! Belle!" Blaine called. "Belle! It's daddy. Where are you?"

He rushed into the kitchen, while Sam ran for the stairs. There was no sign of her and panic began to settle in his mind. Where was she?

"The basement," Officer Delano called.

Blaine and Sam rushed to the basement door and flew down the stairs after her.

Tucked in the corner of the laundry room sat a thin girl with brown hair and familiar hazel eyes. The eyes were worn and the face was pale and bruised. The moment the eyes saw the three newcomers enter the room, they widened.

Blaine felt his heart skip a beat. "Belle!" he breathed in relief.

Officer Delano rushed to her side, removing the gag from her mouth and untying the ropes to release her from her chair.

"Daddy!" She cried in a weak voice, as Blaine rushed forward to embrace her. "I knew you'd come for me." She sobbed into his shoulder. "I knew you'd come for me."

Tears poured freely down Blaine's cheeks, as he clung to his daughter tightly. "I'm so sorry, Belle. I'm so sorry this happened to you."

Blaine and Belle stayed in each other's embrace for a long moment. She was all that mattered in that moment. Her touch, her smell, and the muffled sound of her sobs were comforting to him. He has his little girl.

When Officer Delano realized Blaine and Belle weren't going to let each other go, she cleared her throat and said, "I'm going to call for an ambulance. She needs a thorough checkup."

"Blaine," Sam tapped on his shoulder when he didn't respond to her comment. He never wanted to let go of his beautiful daughter.

Pulling back, Blaine gently cupped Belle's bruised cheek and kissed her. "I'm so sorry, my love," he whispered. "We did everything we could."

"I love you, daddy," she croaked, tears still rolling down her cheeks.

"I love you more than anything," Blaine replied. "Come on, let's get you home."

Blaine stood up and waited, as Sam stepped closer. "Hi, Belle," he said quietly.

"Oh Sammy!" Belle said, a fresh round of tears falling, as Sam embraced her.

Footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs, Blaine turned to face Officer Delano, "where do we go from here?"

"You can ride with Annabelle in the ambulance. I'll take Jill and Sam up to the nearest hospital to meet you there. I'm sure the officers have Mr. Anderson ready to go."

"No need for the escort," Jill's voice came from the entry to the laundry room. "This is all your fault," she snarled at Blaine.

"My fault? Your father kidnapped my daughter," Blaine replied. "I may have been irresponsible with watching Belle but Tim was the one that kidnapped her."

Jill pulled her arm out from behind her back to reveal her father's gun. "I don't know what you did to make my father hate you but now I hate you for making him this crazy. He was just fine before you came into the picture."

"Jill, you're distraught, you don't know what you're saying," Sam said, picking up Belle.

"Hold your fire," Officer Delano ordered, arming herself.

Jill chuckled, "He needs to pay for what he's done." She pulled the trigger.

A searing pain enveloped across Blaine's left shoulder. For a second, he saw Sam and Belle's horrified expressions, before he collapsed and everything went dark.

* * *

Kurt and Rachel were cuddled on the couch staring at the television screen but neither of them had their mind on the movie.

Kurt hadn't heard from Blaine at all. It had been four hours since they left and there was no word on how things were going. He was so worried that he felt sick.

When Kurt's phone rang and Sam's name appeared on the screen, Kurt felt his heart sink. He had hoped it was Blaine. "Hey, what's going on?" Kurt asked.

"Kurt, how soon can you and Rachel catch a cab to New Jersey?" Sam's voice sounded strained. "Is she still there with you?"

"I- I guess now," Kurt glanced at Rachel, who was watching him carefully. "Why are you in New Jersey?"

"Long story. I'll text you the address. Come as soon as you can, okay?" Sam said urgently.

"Sam, is Blaine okay? Do you know anything about Belle?" Kurt said desperately.

There was a slight pause. "I'll explain everything when you get here."

"Sam, what does that mean?" Kurt asked, his voice filling with panic.

"Go find a cab," Sam replied. The line clicked.

Kurt gaped at Rachel, who stared at him with wide eyes. "We have to go," Kurt informed her. "That was Sam. I think something's wrong. He avoided my questions."

"He didn't say?" Rachel asked, climbing off the couch. "What makes you think something's wrong?" she asked.

"Because Sam wouldn't tell me what was happening over the phone," Kurt said. "If it's that serious, he doesn't want to worry me."

The cab drive seemed incredibly long. Kurt kept making up scenarios in his head of what happened. They might not have found Belle. Tim might've figured out their plan. He might've moved Belle farther from their grasp...

"Kurt, it's a hospital," Rachel's hand tugged at his sleeve, pulling him from a daze. "Come on, let's go see what happened."

Stomach turning, Kurt started thinking of worse situations. They found Belle and she was badly injured. They found Belle and she was unresponsive. Something, anything. The possibilities were endless.

"Kurt," Rachel said quietly.

"Let's go," he nodded, before paying the cab driver a good tip for the long trip.

"It'll be okay," Rachel said taking his hand and gently squeezing it.

They entered the hospital and Rachel sent Sam a text message announcing their arrival. A moment later, Sam appeared moving swiftly toward them. He embraced Rachel tightly, his eyes shifting in Kurt's direction. There was worry in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Kurt asked.

"Come with me," Sam grabbed Rachel's hand and led them through the ER doors. He led them down a hallway and into a room off the hall.

"Is Belle here?" Kurt asked.

"I'm here," a small, weak voice replied from the bed across the room.

Kurt whirled around quickly, feeling his knee protest in pain at the movement but he didn't care. "Belle," he breathed at the sight of his daughter.

"Hi dad," she whispered from her bed. Her face was pale but she had a welcoming smile that melted Kurt's heart.

"My Belle," Kurt moved forward. He sat down on her bed and embraced her in a gentle hug, careful not to harm her.

Belle's body began to tremble as she began to cry. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, baby doll, more than you could imagine," Kurt whispered, feeling his own tears roll down his cheeks. "I'm so sorry it took us so long to find you."

To this, Belle simply hugged him tighter. "I'm just happy to have you again," she said.

"I'm always going to be here," Kurt replied. He hugged his daughter for a long time. He dreamt of holding her for so long that he was afraid she would disappear if he let go. "I'm never leaving your side for the rest of your life."

This made Belle chuckle, "Does that you mean you'll go to school with me and everything?"

Kurt pulled back to look into his favorite hazel eyes. He wiped a tear off her cheek and said, "don't tempt me," he smiled weakly, brushing hair behind her ears. "It's just gonna take time to getting into a normal routine again."

"Especially now that you have to take care of daddy," Belle leaned back against her pillows. Her expression grew serious and she said, "Is he going to be okay?"

Stomach dropping, Kurt didn't know what she meant by that question. But Belle had been through so much that he didn't want to worry her. He ran his hand through her long tangled hair and smiled, "Of course. He'll be fine." He kissed her forehead, and rose from the bed. "I'll be back, okay? I'm gonna go talk to Sam real quick."

"Is mom here?" Belle asked.

Stopping in his tracks, Kurt watched her hopeful expression carefully. She wasn't ready for that bombshell yet. She had been through too much already." She should be here soon," he lied. "I'll be right back sweetie. I love you."

"I love you too," Belle replied.

Kurt went out into the hallway, where Rachel and Sam stood. He saw tears in Rachel's eyes, as Sam held her close to his chest. Rachel gave a weak smile when she saw him and said, "she really loves you, you know?"

"Why didn't you tell her Rachel was here?" Sam said, a confused look on his face.

Sighing, Kurt said, "I'm sorry. I wanted to. I just don't know that she's... ready to find out about the baby yet. She's already dealing with so much ."

"Especially what happened today," Sam said guiltily, "I guess I don't blame you."

"What happened today?" Kurt said. "Why is she here? What's wrong with her?"

Hesitating, Sam shrugged, "They just wanted to check her over because they didn't know what was wrong with her but she seems to be doing okay. I haven't been told much because I'm not family."

"Well, where's Blaine?" Kurt said, his voice cracking. "Why isn't he here? Why did Belle say I'd have to take care of him? What's wrong?"

Biting his lip, Sam said, "Blaine's in surgery right now but he should be done soon. I don't know too much because they couldn't give me information on him either."

Feeling like he might faint, Kurt gripped the bar on the wall next to him and said, "Sam, how was rescuing my daughter that complicated? Why is Blaine in surgery?"

"Why don't we go sit down in the waiting room and talk. I better explain what happened," Sam said, leading him away from Belle's door.

* * *

In the silent hospital room, Kurt stared at the darkened ceiling with his mind racing. So much had happened in one day that he couldn't wrap his mind around it.

Sam had told him about Jill's meltdown. How she was so distraught that she fired the gun at Blaine, panicked, and insisted that it was an accident. Sam rode with Belle to the hospital and she cried the whole way, afraid she had lost her dad. Once Blaine's surgery ended, and more than an hour of endless worry on Kurt's part, he was taken to a room. He had barely stayed awake through the process in recovery and the doctors assured Kurt he would sleep the rest of the night.

Knowing this, and kissing an unconscious Blaine goodnight, Kurt spent the rest of the evening in Belle's room, while Sam took Rachel to a hotel for the night.

It was now three in the morning and Belle slept in Kurt's arms. When she decided to sleep, she gave Kurt a saddened look and asked, "Please stay with me. I'm scared to be alone."

Kurt couldn't refuse.

He couldn't sleep. He was worried about Blaine. He was worried about the situation with Rachel. Mostly, he was worried about Belle. Her body wasn't too damaged but she was underfed and dehydrated. Her mental health was a bigger issue. She fidgeted and groaned in her sleep. She woke more than once with a start, only to have Kurt stroke her hair and quietly remind her that he was there and she was safe.

The worst was yet to come. Around three thirty, Belle started screaming in her sleep. She clutched Kurt's hand tightly, as she began thrashing around.

"Belle, Belle," Kurt held her tighter. "Honey, shh, it's okay. I'm right here."

Her screams turned into sobs and she buried her face in Kurt's chest. Kurt pulled Belle close to his body and rubbed her back soothingly. "Dad, don't leave me," she cried.

"I won't leave you. I'm right here. I promise," Kurt kissed the top of her head. "It's okay, sweetie. I've got you." Kurt didn't know how long he held her before her sobs subsided and her breathing became more even, but in time she calmed down. "Are you okay?" Kurt finally asked.

"I had a bad dream. I get them a lot," Belle repositioned so she could look at him. Her eyes were red from crying. "I was really scared there."

This was the first she mentioned anything about her situation all night. Kurt didn't want to push it but he was anxious to hear about what she went through. "You're not still scared, are you? Belle, I promise he's never going to hurt you again."

"I just want you," Belle curled in close to his side as tears formed in her eyes. "I want daddy, mommy, and Sam. I didn't know if I'd ever see you again and that scared me a lot."

"Sweetie, I am so sorry you had to go through that," Kurt said quietly. "We did everything we could to get you back. We were scared too. You're our Belle and we love you so much."

"I know but it was still scary. I didn't see you for a long time," Belle replied.

"Is that why you have bad dreams? Or was it something that happened while you were there that scares you at night?" Kurt asked.

Belle was silent for a moment. When she spoke, her voice was more quiet than before. "I don't know. I guess both."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kurt asked.

"No. I think I just want to sleep. I'm so tired," she replied.

"Okay, angel, get some sleep. I'm right here if you need me," Kurt kissed the top of her head once more. "I love you so much, Belle. I'm really happy that we found you" .

"Me too," Belle replied. Within minutes, she was asleep again. She didn't seem quite as fidgety this time but she did remain as close to Kurt as she possibly could.

He didn't mind though. After being separated from his daughter for months, Kurt was so grateful at the chance to hold her in his arms.

* * *

A distant sound of beeping filled his quiet mind some time before Blaine's senses came back to him. He slowly opened his eyes to find himself staring at a white ceiling. He felt a gentle motion move across his hand repeatedly.

"Blaine?" a soft, angelic voice sang into his ear. "Sweetie, can you hear me?"

He tried to open his mouth and felt how dry his throat was, "Thirsty," he whispered.

"Here, have some ice chips," a chair shifted and a moment later something cold and wet slid down his sore throat.

"Kurt," Blaine mumbled.

Kurt's soft hand touched his and once again stroked the back of his hand with his thumb. "I'm right here, baby. I'm not going anywhere."

"Belle?" he questioned.

"She's okay. Sam's with her," Kurt said quietly. "You've been sleeping for a long time. You've been on a lot of medication since you're surgery and you've been in and out since yesterday."

"Yesterday," Blaine said. He was beginning to feel the memories coming back. He must have been so out of it, the last thing he even remembered was being in that cold basement.

"I've been here all night with Belle. They kept her overnight for observation and let me stay. I couldn't leave her side but she's okay. I think she's just emotionally unstable. I slept with her and she had nightmares," he explained.

"I want to see her," Blaine said.

"You will, once you're ready. I just didn't want her to see you like this. She's already so scarred," Kurt leaned forward, running his hand through Blaine's messy curls.

"She saw me get shot," Blaine looked into Kurt's saddened blue eyes. "That's why I had the surgery, wasn't it?"

Kurt nodded, "It damaged some tissue that they had to fix but you're going to be okay." He met Blaine's lips with his and kissed him for a long moment. When he pulled back, tears ran down his cheeks and he choked out, "I'm just so grateful that I didn't lose you too. When Sam told me what happened, I was really scared. I hate the thought of you in pain, of your life being at risk. I can't lose you."

"You're never going to lose me," Blaine said.

"I don't know. After losing Belle and nearly losing you to get her back, I'm not sure I can handle ever letting either of you out of my sight ever again," Kurt said.

"The feeling's mutual," Blaine said sadly. "But I think everything's going to work out in the end."

"How do you know?" Kurt said wearily.

"Blaine gave a soft smile, "because this family was made to overcome anything."

Kurt smiled sadly, "yeah but we still have a long way to go."

* * *

Belle and Blaine were released from the hospital two days later. With instructions on how to handle his shoulder, Blaine was told to take it easy for a little while. Belle had been kept due to being dehydrated, as well as underfed. She complained of being dizzy and they kept her for observation. They were also told to be cautious about her diet.

Kurt hadn't left the hospital in that time. Belle and Blaine were given a room to share, despite their different reasons for being there. The staff felt so sad for their situation that they didn't see reason to keep the family apart.

Belle had nightmares every night, keeping Kurt up at night. He worried about her mental state. She had been quiet since her arrival at the hospital. During the day, she spent most of her time either sleeping, coloring, or simply staring at the wall. She didn't say much and often just wanted to sit with Kurt or crawl into bed with Blaine.

"Who's ready to go home?" nurse Abby asked, late that afternoon, upon entering the room. "I have some release papers for you to sign for me."

"I think we're more than ready," Blaine mumbled, more than ready to go home. "I just want things to go back to normal."

"That might take some time," Abby smiled sadly. "With your shoulder bandaged and in a sling and Annabelle needing close care, I have a feeling Mr. Hummel will be busy for a while."

Blaine and Belle were wheeled down to the front doors, where Sam waited with a car. He agreed to pick them up to make things easier for Kurt.

"Mom didn't come with you?" Belle asked, once she was in the car. "I really wanted to see her. I haven't seen her yet."

Kurt and Sam exchanged looks. They had agreed that Belle needed to be settled at home first before they got the news about the baby. Rachel was now showing too much to hide it. "I'm sorry, B. Mom's not feeling well. I think she came down with a bug. She wanted to come."

"Okay," Belle said sadly.

The car ride was long. Blaine sat in the back next to Belle and held her hand the entire way. Everyone was quiet, lost in thought. It would be a while before any of them could heal.

They pulled up in front of their home and Sam opened the door for Blaine. He climbed out of the car and Belle had his free hand almost immediately. Her little hand was cold but comforting to him. Blaine led her through the front door and glanced down at her.

"I'm home," she whispered. Tears forming in her eyes. "I can't believe I'm actually home." She wrapped her arms around Blaine's waist and hugged him tightly, burying her face in his shirt.

After a moment, she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward her bedroom door. She walked in and began feeling the items along her dresser. She then walked over to the picture of her family on the night stand and stared at it for a long moment.

Kurt walked over and sat on the bed next to her. "This is the first time I've felt comfortable being in this room for months."

"Me too," Blaine sat down next to him and placed his hand on Kurt's thigh.

Belle climbed on to Kurt's lap, and he hugged her. "I'm really glad you found me."

Kurt kissed her cheek and whispered, "Welcome home, Belle."


	20. Week 20 - Big Sister

Both the hospital and Vogue gave Kurt and Blaine the next week off work to get Belle adjusted to life at home. Blaine's shoulder needed time to heal. Belle needed a proper diet after barely eating for so long. She also needed to start therapy sessions. In the following nights, Belle spent every single one of them in bed with Kurt and Blaine. Her days were still spent blocking out normal activity. She only wanted to color or stare at the wall. Music, television, and toys gave her no interest.

"I wish I could help," Rachel told Kurt that Monday afternoon after he gave her an update. "When are we going to tell her? I really miss her and I just want a chance to see her."

"This week," Kurt said. "I know she's not going to take it well regardless of when we tell her, so we should get it out there. The sooner she knows, the less we're keeping a secret from her."

""She's been through so much," Rachel whispered. "I wish we could make things easier for her, but I know that we can't."

"She'll come around," Kurt said. "All in good time. I also think she's sad because she hasn't seen you. Every day when Sam comes to visit after school, she asks if you're feeling better. I think today he'll tell her that you are starting to feel better."

"Will she be home in time from therapy to see Sam?" Rachel asked. "What time is her appointment?"

"It's at one, so she'll be home in time. I'm taking her, because Blaine's still tired from his medication," Kurt shook his head. "I'm so stressed. I just wish this was over with already."

Resting her head on his shoulder, Rachel grabbed his hand and said, "I know, babe. This has been hard for me but I can not imagine what you and Blaine are going through."

Kurt closed his eyes, fighting against the tears that threatened to fall. "It's just getting so hard to stay strong for my family, but they need me to be."

"I know, honey," Rachel positioned herself to look at him. She placed her arm on his shoulder and stroked his hair gently. "It's okay to fall apart sometimes."

"I didn't consider how things would be once she got home," Kurt said, looking into Rachel's eyes. "I didn't know she'd be like this. I didn't know we'd be in this situation. I had hopes of feeling happy that she's back, and I'm so happy that she is, but she's changed."

"How?" Rachel whispered.

"She's not my innocent little girl anymore. She's a scarred girl who's experienced too much at the age of seven,"" Kurt shook his head. "I can see it in her eyes. I can hear it in her voice. She's so scared."

"She's eight," Rachel corrected him.

Kurt's face went pale, when he thought about the date. "We missed Belle's birthday." For some reason, this struck hard with him. He couldn't fight back his tears anymore. "We missed Belle's birthday. Rachel, we've missed so much in her life. She should have been close to leaving second grade. She should be rehearsing for her final ballet recital. She should have had a birthday party."

Pulling him into a hug, Rachel comforted him, as her own tears began to fall. "Shh. I know. I know it's hard. It's okay to feel discouraged. Most people can't imagine the pain you've been carrying with you for months. Some people never face that kind of pain."

With the comfort of his friend, Kurt embraced her for a long moment. He couldn't show his stress at home and it felt good to release that stress for a moment. When he pulled back, he placed a hand on Rachel's belly and said, "Thank you, Rachel. I don't know what I'd do without you."

She placed a hand on top of his and smiled weakly, "I understand that you need the comfort. That's what best friends are for." She hesitated. "But I can't heal your broken heart. I'm starting to think this is beyond adjusting to life with Belle again."

"What do you mean?" Kurt asked.

"Belle has issues but so do you and Blaine," Rachel said. "Kurt, I know you. We've been friends for many years. You try to hide things when you're upset. You only come to me with your problems when things become overwhelming. That hurts you even more. You can't bottle all of this up. It's too much," she wiped a tear off his cheek.

"I'm okay," Kurt said.

"You know, I've seen you go through a lot in your life. I wasn't there when you lost your mom but I remember when you nearly lost your dad to a heart attack," Rachel said. "You were bullied all through high school. Your dad had cancer. You lost your brother at nineteen. You had a terrible breakup with Dylan. You've now had your daughter kidnapped. You were ambushed. You could have lost Blaine to get her back. You've comforted your daughter through her night terrors." She shook her head. "Kurt, you've seen it all."

"And I've learned to take things one at a time. School bullies and bad breakups don't compare to having Belle taken and mistreated," Kurt said.

"You have been so strong through everything but I think it's hurting you. I feel like you haven't been as normal as usual, even with Belle back. You have a right to feel that way but I truly believe you and Blaine need time to heal too," Rachel gave him a sympathetic smile.

"So what do we do?" Kurt asked.

"I think you guys need family therapy or something," Rachel shrugged. "Blaine's been through a lot too. On top of everything with Belle, his dad died, and that's complicated in itself. His relationship with his dad was complicated, and I don't think he knew how to handle it. To lose Belle so quickly after, and I'm pretty sure he still blames himself, I think he's going through a lot mentally. And now his shoulder has set him back. He probably feels helpless and maybe even a little embarrassed that Belle watched him get shot."

"You think he's embarrassed about that?" Kurt have her a curious look.

She sighed, "it's a guess. I haven't seen him since it happened, remember? No one wants their children to see them at their weakest. Blaine could have lost his life, and poor Belle had to witness that. She'll probably never get that image out of her head, and I'm sure it doesn't make him feel good."

"Are you sure you shouldn't be a therapist? How did you sort all that out?" Kurt asked.

She stood up and shuffled toward the kitchen. "Being off work has given me too much etime to think. I don't really know what's been happening over there, other than your texts and Sam's updates when he comes home, so I've been making assumptions in my spare time."

"They're good guesses though," Kurt rose and followed her.

"Are you hungry?" she asked, reaching into the fridge and pulling out a container. "I have leftovers. I can make you a plate."

"No, I need to get Belle," Kurt shook his head. "I appreciate your advice though. Maybe I'll see how Blaine feels about the idea."

Rachel shut the fridge door and walked over to him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Take care of yourself, Kurt, okay?"

He nodded, "I'll try."

Kurt left Sam and Rachel's after that and went home to get Belle. They took a cab over to the therapist's office and waited a few moments as they filled out paperwork.

"Annabelle Hummel," a nurse came out to retrieve her. She glanced around the waiting room only to find her sitting on Kurt's lap with her head on his shoulder. "Hi sweetie."

"Hi," Belle said shyly.

"My name is Ashley. Would you like to come back with me? We'd like to talk to you for a little bit," she said, stepping in their direction.

"Can my dad come?" Belle asked.

Kurt sat forward and she climbed off his lap. "I think this is something you need to do alone, sweetie. This will help you feel better, I promise."

Belle grabbed his hand and gave him an anxious expression. "I don't want you to leave me. I want to be with you." Tears formed in her eyes.

Since Belle had been home, she had been with either Kurt or Blaine at every moment. She was too afraid to be alone, but Kurt knew this was a habit she had to break. He cupped his free hand around her cheek and stared into her sad eyes, "Honey, I promise that this will help you. I'm going to be right here the whole time you're in there."

"Please don't leave me," she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Kissing her forehead, Kurt pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear, "I promise I'm not going to leave you. You're safe here, Belle."

"Are you ready, Annabelle?" Ashley gave Kurt a brief look of regret. She knew this would be hard for Belle by the way she was behaving.

"I guess," Belle said. She hugged Kurt one last time and said, "I love you, dad."

"I love you too baby," Kurt said. He gave her a slight nudge in Ashley's direction. Ashley took Belle's hand and led her through the door. Belle gave Kurt one last longing look before the door shut behind her.

* * *

"Do you want to know the sex of your baby?" Rachel asked Kurt on the way to his apartment two days later. "I asked, but I don't have to tell you and Blaine."

"I- I want to know," Kurt stuttered. "But I want to find out when Blaine does. You can tell us together, maybe while you tell Belle about the baby."

"Sounds fair," he smiled, taking her hand in his. "Are you ready for this?"

"Are any of us ready for this?" She replied.

The two of them made their way through the front door, to find Blaine siting on the couch. He had a book in his hand and barely noticed their entrance.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked. "Where's Belle?"

Setting his book down, Blaine rose from the couch and greeted Kurt with a kiss, "she's in her room." He glanced in Rachel's direction and sighed, "Rachel, it's so good to see you."

"You too. How's your shoulder?" She hugged him.

"Slowly healing," Blaine shook his head. "I'm alright though. Taking it one day at a time." He placed her hand on her stomach and said, "How is this little one doing?"

The corners of Rachel's mouth twitched, "Just fine. I had an appointment and found out the sex. I'm just more worried about how Belle will take it."

"I guess we're about to find out," Blaine said. He took Kurt's hand and said, "Maybe you should wait here for just a minute so we can give her a little bit of a warning."

"Okay," Rachel whispered, as Blaine kissed her cheek.

Kurt followed Blaine into Belle's room. She was sitting at her desk with a coloring book and a box of colored pencils in front of her.

"Hi sweetie," Kurt announced their entrance.

"You're home," Belle leapt from her chair and hugged him tightly. She was so attached that she always greeted Kurt every time he came home from somewhere. "I missed you," she said.

"I missed you too," Kurt sat on the edge of her bed and patted it. "Come have a seat, honey. Your dad and I need to talk to you about something important."

"Okay," Belle sat down and Blaine took a seat on the other side of her.

"Belle, you were gone for quite a while, and a lot changed in that time," Blaine started. "Unfortunately, life doesn't wait for us when we fall behind."

"Is that why you got that promotion while I was gone?" Belle asked.

"Yes," Kurt nodded. He wrapped his arm around her and said, "But your dad and I talked about making big changes before you even disappeared. We didn't get a chance to talk to you about it before you were kidnapped though, and by then, we had already made the changes."

"What changes?" Belle asked.

Blaine took a deep breath, "Your mom is here to explain."

"You mean she's feeling better?" Belle perked up at this.

"I was never sick," Rachel's voice came from the doorway. She cautiously stepped toward Belle with her hands placed around her belly.

"Mommy," Belle leapt from the bed and ran to hug Rachel rightly. She wrapped her small arms around her torso and then took an uncertain step back. "You look different."

Pulling out her desk chair, Rachel sat down, and motioned for Belle to come close. She wrapped her arm around Belle's waist and explained, "I'm having a baby boy, which is why my tummy's so round."

Kurt felt his heart swell with pride. It was q boy. He glanced at Blaine and they exchanged smiles. "It's a boy," he whispered, taking Blaine!'s hand in his.

"You and Sam are having a baby?" Belle asked.

"No. We are getting married, and some day we'd like to have a baby," Rachel glanced at Kurt and Blaine. "But some people can't have babies on their own. You were born in my tummy but you belong to your dads."

Kurt climbed off the bed and knelt down in the floor next to them. "Honey, your dad and I decided we wanted another baby. We were ready to let our family grow. We made the decision months before you left but we didn't want to tell you until we knew Rachel was pregnant."

"Y-you're having a baby?" Belle said quietly.

"You're going to be a big sister," Blaine said.

"I don't want to be a big sister," Belle took a step backward. "I don't want a baby. I just want you." She pushed Rachel's arm off her and ran from the bedroom. They heard the door slam to the room next door.

Kurt quietly followed her. He turned the handle but it was locked. He then turned around and went back into her room. "She locked herself in the bathroom," he announced.

Blaine bowed his head in defeat and Rachel rubbed her belly soothingly. "We knew she wouldn't take it well," Rachel said reassuringly.

Kurt walked over and sat next to Blaine. He pulled him into a hug and gently rubbed his back. "It's gonna be okay. She'll get used to the idea."

Blaine didn't say anything. He only hugged Kurt tighter. His hands trembling slightly.

"We're going to get through this. It's going to be okay," Kurt said soothingly. He said it to comfort Blaine, but he was also trying to convince himself.

* * *

When Belle eventually came out of the bathroom, Rachel had gone home and Blaine had left the apartment. He said he needed some air and hadn't returned in the last hour. By the defeated look on his face, Kurt assumed Blaine left for more than just air.

Kurt was lying on his bed, flipping through a magazine, even though his thoughts were far from it. He heard the bathroom door open and waited patiently.

In a moment, Belle was standing in the doorway. Her eyes were heavy and puffy, her face pale. "Can I join you?" she asked pitifully.

Patting the bed next to him, Kurt said, "Of course." He waited as Belle curled up next to him. Putting his arm around her, Kurt said, "I knew it'd be too much for you to handle."

"I just wanted things to be normal," Belle said quietly. "I want you all the time."

"Belle, you can't have us all the time. You have school and we have to work," Kurt explained. He stroked her forehead gently. "I know you've been feeling like you want someone there every minute of every day but we just can't provide that."

"But when you have a baby, it'll take up even more of your time," Belle pouted. I won't have time with you after school.

Kissing the top of her head, he replied, "Belle, we will always have time for you. Nothing and no one could ever change that."

"Nothing?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"You took up every thought we had even when you disappeared. Night and day, you were always on my mind," Kurt told her. "I love you more than you could ever possibly imagine, Annabelle. That's not going to change just because I have someone else to take care of. You will always be my little girl."

"And daddy feels that way too?" She asked.

"Absolutely," Kurt said. He didn't know if her comment had to do with Blaine keeping his distance or not but Kurt knew that Belle needed reassurance that she was loved and cared for. "I know this is confusing for you, sweetie. I know that a lot changed while you were gone and you probably feel left out, but your dad and I will never leave you behind."

Belle wrapped her arm around him and said, "it's just not fair."

"I know, sweetie," Kurt said. "There's a lot of things that aren't fair. I think circumstances might be different if you hadn't been gone for months. You might've been happy to be a big sister. You're just in a fragile state of mind. That's why it'll be hard for you to get back into a normal routine."

Like when you have to go back to work?" Belle said quietly.

"Baby, I wish we could spend all our time with you. I really do but life's just not that simple," Kurt said quietly.

"Daddy," Belle said quietly.

"Yes, my angel?" Kurt asked.

"Is it okay to still be scared?" she asked, as tears sprung to her eyes. Lip quivering, she turned away from him.

Kurt knew that Belle was struggling. The way she stayed close, the way she stayed so silent through the day, and the way her nightmares still woke her at night. It was going to take her time to get over it and she needed to know that was okay. "Yes, Belle, it's okay to be scared. You have every right to be scared."

"Good... because I am," Belle said. "That's why I don't want the baby because I don't want you to be too busy or forget me."

"I'm always going to have time for you," Kurt held her tightly, gently rubbing her forehead. He continued to hold her until she calmed down and eventually fell asleep.

After some time, Kurt began to doze. The thing that woke him was the sound of Blaine walking into the bedroom. Kurt opened his eyes and watched Blaine shuffle into their bathroom. "Babe?" Kurt said quietly.

"Is she sleeping?" Blaine whispered.

"Where were you?" Kurt asked. "I was getting worried."

Blaine hesitated, "Brooklyn Bridge."

"What were you doing there?" Kurt asked.

"Thinking," Blaine went into the bathroom and came back a moment later. He climbed into bed on the other side of Belle. His face was pals and his eyes were dark.

"Babe, are you all right?" Kurt asked quietly.

"Just tired," Blaine replied.

"Were you drinking?" Kurt asked, hoping Blaine hadn't gone back to that.

"No, thinking," Blaine said. He closed his eyes and didn't say anything else. Kurt wanted to say more, to ask about his feelings, but it was clear that Blaine was too lost in thought and didn't want to talk.

There was definitely something wrong with Blaine and Kurt wasn't sure how to help him.

* * *

**Hi everyone! Sorry my updates have been slow. I've been super busy. That's also why there wasn't too much happening here. Next week I'll be in Disney World, so I'll have to find time to write when I can. I may not be updating before February first but I'll try. I'm really excited to write the next chapter so I definitely want to try. :) **


	21. Week 21 - Annabelle's Struggle

Belle stared with wide eyes as her two fathers stood near the doorway with their coats on. She had seen each of them leave in turn but she had never been apart from them at the same time.

Unless you count the therapy session she had that week. Even then, Kurt was in the waiting room.

"If you only want to stay one night, we can be here first thing in the morning to pick you up," Kurt said, kneeling down in front of her.

"Okay," Belle said quietly.

"Call us if you need anything," Kurt tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I love you so much, sweetie." He kissed her forehead.

"I love you too," Belle said, as tears formed in her eyes. She hugged him tightly.

When Kurt pulled away, he said, "You'll be safe. I promise. Sam and Rachel will take care of you."

"Love you, Belle," Blaine bent down to give her a hug and a kiss. "Have a good night."

"Okay," she said. "Love you too." She felt her body start to tremble and ran to Sam for comfort. She wrapped her arms around her waist and watched Kurt and Blaine leave. The moment the door shut, Belle started crying. The last time she had been away from her dads, she didn't see them for months.

Sam bent down to get level with her. He smiled gently and said, "it's going to be okay, Belle. Your mom and I will take care of you. We always have before."

"That's right," Rachel chimed in.

"Yeah," Belle said quietly.

Sam wiped a tear off her cheek and asked, "is there anything you want to do? We could watch a movie or play a game. You and your mom could do each other's hair.

Belle sighed, not wanting to do much of anything. "I think I just want to color." At least she could get lost in her pictures. She didn't have to think about anything.

"I'll get your books from your room," Sam went into Belle's room and came back a moment later with three coloring books and a box of colored pencils.

"Thanks," Belle took them and set them on the coffee table. She sat on the floor between the table and couch and tried taking her mind off of her dads.

Belle already missed her dads so much. After being away from them for so long, she longed to be with them when one of them was away. Having both of them gone, her heart ached with a sadness that she couldn't understand. As she colored, she couldn't keep her mind off of them.

Rachel's gentle hands began striking her hair. Belle didn't mind, because she liked the comfort. "What are you thinking about, honey?"

"I miss my dads," Belle admitted.

"They miss you too," Rachel told her.

"How do you now?" Belle asked.

"Come here," Rachel patted her lap. Belle hesitated but listened. She climbed on Rachel's lap, careful not to bump her belly. Rachel tucked her hair behind her ear. "I know this is hard for you bug it's hard for your dads too."

"How do you know?" Belle raised an eyebrow.

"Because this is the first time they've been away from you," Rachel shrugged. "They missed you every day. They were scared for you every day. They did everything they could to get you back. They have left you for an hour or two but this is he longest they've gone without you since they've been home. I'm sure it's hard for them."

"I guess i didn't think about that," Belle said.

"No one expects you too," Sam said, sitting on the arm of the couch next to Rachel. "You're already afraid. Your mom and I were afraid when you were gone too."

"You were?" Belle asked.

"Sure," Rachel stroked her hair. "You are so important to all us, Belle. We just wanted you to be safe. We wished you were home every single day."

"I missed you guys too," Belle said.

"We're going to be here for you every step of your recovery," Sam said. "We're a family. Me, your mom, you, and your dads. We all need to be here for each other. Your mom and I are going to protect you. We're going to help your dads get through this."

"You promise?" Belle asked.

"Absolutely," Sam smiled. "But right now, I think it's time for you to head to bed."

"Can I sleep with you?" Belle asked.

Sam and Rachel exchanged nervous glances. "Originally I thought it'd be good for you to sleep in your own bed but maybe it'd be better for your dads to test that with you," Sam said.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked.

"She's been through enough tonight just having Kurt and Blaine leave," Sam said. "I think she needs to take things one step at a

Time."

"Yeah, you're right. Let's head off to bed, little lady," Rachel smiled at her. "Maybe I can read you a story. I'm getting tired anyway. It wouldn't hurt to have an early bed time."

Rachel and Belle made their way into Rachel and Sam's bedroom. Belle changed into her pajamas, brushed her teeth, and climbed into bed. She waited, as Rachel got ready for bed herself. Once Rachel was settled in bed, Belle cuddled up next to her and closed her eyes.

She felt Rachel's gentle touch stroking her forehead. "I missed you, my Belle," she whispered softly into her daughter's ear.

"I missed you too, mommy," Belle said quietly.

"Can I ask you a serious question?" Rachel asked.

Belle's eyelids fluttered open and she stared at her mother with curiosity. "Yes," she replied.

"Are you upset about the baby?" Rachel asked.

Feeling uncomfortable, Belle slid away from Rachel slightly. "I don't want them to have a baby. I like things just how they are," she replied.

"Would you have felt differently if you hadn't spent so much time away from your dads?" Rachel asked her.

Belle shrugged, tears forming in her eyes. She didn't know. That probably was part of the reason but she wasn't sure that was all of it. "I just don't want a baby," she choked out.

"You might feel differently when he's here. You get to be a big sister, Belle. That's a huge deal. Sometimes I wished I had a baby brother or sister to hang out with."

"Why?" Belle asked.

"Because your brother could end up being your best friend. Siblings are fun to play with and he'll look up to you, You get to make decisions in how you two play because you're older," she winked.

"You sound like he's already here. My dads do too. All they will talk about is when the baby is here and then they'll forget about me," Belle said, no longer able to hold back her tears.

"Preparing for a baby is a lot of work. Babies are a lot of work but your dads won't forget you," Rachel said soothingly. "In a way, your brother is here and that hasn't stopped your dads from thinking about you."

"No, he's n-not," Belle hiccuped.

"Let me see your hand," Rachel grasped Belle's small hand and placed it over her belly. "I know it's hard to tell but he's there. He loves you, Belle. He can't wait to see you."

"How do you know?" Belle pouted, tempted to pull her hand away.

"Because the moment I climbed into bed with you, he started moving around. He likes to play when I try to sleep," Rachel chuckled. "He can hear you. Say hello."

"I don't want to," Belle made a face.

"I know this is hard for you," Belle," Rachel frowned. "It's going to take time to get used to."

A slight pressure under Belle's hand caused her to jump. "What was that?" she pulled away, staring at Rachel's belly with wide eyes.

Rachel laughed, "He kicked your hand. That's his way of saying hello to you."

"Really?" Belle glanced at Rachel.

Rachel smiled, "yes."

Belle pulled her hand away and said, "Do you really think I'll want him around one day?"

"I know you will," Rachel brushed a piece of hair behind her ear. "Annabelle, I know you're hurting, and I can see why you're feeling this way. It'll take time to get used to and that's okay. I believe that everything will work out in the end."

"How do you know?" Belle asked.

Pulling her closer, Rachel kissed her forehead and said, "because this family loves you very much and we will help you through everything in life."

* * *

The first night away from her dads has been the hardest night Belle had spent since she returned home. Her nightmares woke her more than once, and without Kurt or Blaine there to comfort her, she became frightened. Sam moved her into her own bedroom to avoid waking Rachel. He stayed with her through the night but his comfort wasn't enough.

Belle climbed out of bed after it was light outside. Sam was still asleep but she couldn't take her nightmares anymore. She walked into the kitchen where she found Rachel placing a stack of pancakes on a plate. "Hi," Belle mumbled.

"Hey," Rachel smiled. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Couldn't sleep. Why are you making pancakes?" Belle asked.

"I was starving and craving pancakes. The baby decided it was time to eat," she placed her hand on her belly. "Would you like some?"

Feeling slightly uncomfortable at the mention of the baby, Belle shook her head. "I'm not hungry."

"Honey, your dads told me you've been putting up a fight to eat but you really need to. You haven't had much the last few months. You're so thin," Rachel pulled out the butter from the fridge.

"Fine," she sat down at the table.

"Did you sleep okay last night?" Rachel asked, grabbing the syrup out of a cupboard. "I woke up around three and realIzed you weren't there."

"I had some bad dreams," she admitted. "And I miss my dads."

Rachel frowned, taking the seat next to her. "I know, honey. I'm sorry. I'll text them and let them know you're awake. If they're up early enough, they can come get you."

"Okay," Belle nodded. She began to eat her pancakes but couldn't quite finish them. She just wasn't feeling well enough to eat much. She missed her dads so much. She loved her mom and was happy to see her but if wasn't the same. She wanted to be with Kurt and Blaine as much as possible.

Blaine showed up shortly after Belle finished eating. He told Rachel that he hadn't gotten much sleep that night anyway so he didn't mind coming to get her.

"I'd think you would have slept better than you had in months," Rachel said.

"I worried about Belle all night. I missed her. I wanted her there with me," Blaine said.

Belle completely understood.

"Ready to go, kid?" Blaine asked.

"Yes," Belle grabbed his hand and he led her out the door. They caught the subway back home. It was a silent walk. Belle wanted to talk to him, but she didn't know what to say. Instead she stared at her familiar surroundings, grateful to be heading home.

Kurt greeted Belle the moment she walked through the door. He gave her a long, tight hug that she never wanted to break away from. "We have something for you, sweetheart," Kurt eventually pulled back and wiped a tear off her cheek.

"What?" Belle asked.

Kurt smiled. He moved behind the couch and came back rolling out a purple and pink bicycle. A pink basket sat on the front with a purple flower on the front.

"Wow!"Belle ran toward it and jumped on top of it. "This is great! Thanks!" She ran her hands along the handlebars and frowned. Glancing up at her dads, she said, "but I don't know how to ride a bike. What's it for?"

Kurt and Blaine exchanged glances. Kurt knelt down next to her and said, "Belle, we missed your eighth birthday. We didn't get to celebrate with you."

"Oh," she stared at the basket. Belle had no idea how long she had been gone. Every passing day felt like an eternity. She didn't know when her birthday was.

"We want to spend as much time with you as we can," Kurt said. "We've missed so much in the time you were gone, and once the baby gets here, we are going to be more busy than usual."

"Teaching you to ride a bike or finding another activity are great chances to hang out with you," Blaine finished.

Hopping off the bike, Belle hugged Kurt and then gave Blaine one. "Thank you," she said happily.

"We'd like to have a birthday dinner for you as well," Kurt told her. "If we had known, I would have thrown you a party with all of your friends."

"You don't need to," she shook her head. Belle was too afraid to face her friends yet. She didn't know how they would react to her.

"You're okay with dinner?" Blaine asked.

"Sure," Belle shrugged.

"Rachel offered to make you dinner. Your dad and I decided it would be best to leave you with Rachel while we worked," Kurt explained. "She's not working right now and she can take you to your therapy sessions. It'll be good for you."

"Yeah, we can stop by after work and have dinner with Sam and Rachel. I'll pick up a cake on my way from the hospital."

"Sounds great. I'll call Rachel right now and let her know," Kurt clapped his hands together and rushed into the kitchen to retrieve his phone.

Belle bowed her head and stared at the floor, feeling slightly defeated.

"What's wrong?" Blaine asked. "Don't you like the bike? We went to the store yesterday and picked it up while you were gone."

"I like it," Belle told him.

"Then why do you look so sad?" Blaine asked.

She shrugged, "I'm tired." It was a lie but she didn't know what else to tell him. Belle was disappointed that she missed her birthday. She was sad that she was too afraid to face her friends. She didn't want to spend every day with her mom. She loved Rachel but Belle wanted to be with her dads all day. She didn't like being around Rachel because her round stomach reminded Belle of the baby and everything she didn't want. It was so unfair, she wanted to cry. But after Sam and Rachel mentioned that her dads were hurting too, Belle didn't want to worry them anymore.

"Birthday dinner is a go," Kurt announced. "Sam and Rachel are excited."

Smiling at him, Belle said, "Thanks dad." She bit her lip nervously and said, "I-I'm gonna go color now." She tore off into her bedroom and shut the door. Tears began rolling down her cheeks. Belle climbed on to her bed and buried her face in her pillow.

It was so unfair. Missing her birthday, missing most of second grade, missing ballet, and now spending every day without her dads as a constant reminder that they were having a baby she didn't want in her life. Belle couldn't hold back her emotions anymore. She cried for every unfair thing that happened.

* * *

The police station was crowded with people roaming the lobby. Belle watched people come and go for what felt like forever. Her mind was far away from her present self. All she could think about was her experience with Tim. How unkind and unfair he had been. How much she missed her dads. She didn't want to talk about it but she knew she had no choice.

"Annabelle Hummel," a woman entered from a door. Searching the room, she met Belle's eyes and smiled slightly. "Can you come with me please?"

Taking a deep breath, she hugged each of her dads before following the woman down the hall and into a small office. The woman motioned for Belle to take a seat and she did so.

Sitting next to her, the woman gave her a smile and said, "Annabelle, I'm Detective Slate. I have taken over your case and I have a few questions for you. Is that okay?"

"I guess," Belle shrugged, staring at her shoes.

"Your father's uncle Timothy kidnapped you, is that right?" Detective Slate asked.

"Yes," Belle said quietly.

"Do you remember what happened?" Detective Slate asked.

"Yeah..." Belle hesitated. "We were at my grandpa's house because he died. My dad, uh, Blaine, was with me because Kurt, my other dad, had left for a while. We had a picnic on the front porch and then he went inside to sort through my grandpa's belongings. I stayed to play out in the back yard. I was climbing a tree when he came around the back of the house. I was just getting out of the tree. He came forward and told me not to scream or bad things would happen. He grabbed my arm with one hand and covered my mouth with the other. He dragged me back to the street and shoved me in his van."

"Do you remember what happened from there?" Detective Slate asked.

"We drove for a long time. I cried and cried until I was so tired, I fell asleep. When I woke up, we were at a house. He locked me in the basement and told me we'd be leaving the next day."

"Did he take you to the house you were found at?" Detective Slate asked.

"Yes. We drove for a long time the next day until we got there. I stayed in that basement too. He only fed me scraps of food when he had extra."

"Did he hurt you?" Detective Slate asked.

This caused Belle to pause. This was the thing that had mentally harmed her the most, outside of missing home and having Tim tell her no one at home wanted her. "They would've had been here to get you by now if they wanted you."

Shaking her head to clear the memory, Belle said, "Yes, sometimes." Tears formed in her eyes. "He was a mean man. He always seemed so angry."

"What happened when your dads found you?" Detective Slate asked. "Do you remember?"

This was the part Belle remembered the most. The moment hope had returned to her frightened mind. The moment she was reunited with her dads. And the moment things got bad. Seeing Blaine get shot. Seeing him get hauled away on a stretcher, before a second ambulance took her to the hospital. Although Sam was by her side, she was terrified that she would never see Blaibe again.

Tears began to flow more freely now. "I heard them calling for me. There was a lot of yelling and then they same downstairs, my dad and Sam. And Jill came down and- and shot my dad." She began sobbing at the memory. It was so painful every time she thought about it. "I-I was so scared."

"All right. Okay. You don't have to continue, Annabelle. I know Irma hard for you," Detective Slate said. "I think I have all the information I need. Would you like to go back out to your dads."

"Yeah," Belle wiped her eyes. She had a longing to see Blaine, to know that he was okay. She felt this almost every time she wasn't near him. But after talking about the memory, it was more painful than usual.

Detective Slate led her back into the lobby and said, "Thank you for your time. We'll be in touch."

"Thank you," Kurt shook her hand.

At the sight of Blaine, Belle rushed over and threw herself into his arms. She buried her face in his shoulder and cried. Blaine gently rubber her back and whispered, "It's okay, Belle."

"Is everything okay?" Kurt asked. "Did something happen?"

"She's just emotional," Detective Slate informed him. "Do you have her in therapy. I would recommend it if she's not."

"Y-yeah, of course," Kurt said. "Is there anything else you need from us?"

"I'd like to talk to each of you separately but you can come back another day if you'd like," Detective Slate said.

"Could we?" Blaine asked.

Detective Slate smiles, "Sure. Sometime in the next couple days, okay?"

"Thank you," Kurt said. He took Belle from Blaine and carried her out the door, and Blaine followed. Feeling tired, Belle rested her head on his shoulders and stared at Blaine with sad eyes.

"Everything's okay, Belle," Blaine said, touching the bake of his hand to her cheek. "We'll always be right here."

His words were comforting but not enough to heal the pain she felt in her heart.

* * *

**Hi everyone! I'm so sorry it's been so long! Life just got so busy. Someone recently asked about this story, which motivated me to write this chapter but I hope people are still interested after so long. I l don't want to waste my time if no one's gonna read it, so hope you'll continue to read this. I'll update again as soon as possible! **


	22. Week 22 - Blaine's Promises

As Blaine entered the small room, his heart sunk to his stomach. Jill sat across the table from him with a look of terror frozen on her face.

"Hi," Blaine said.

"Hi," Jill whispered.

"I didn't want to come, you know," Blaine took a seat across from her.

"I don't blame you," she bowed her head. Taking a deep breath, she looked up and met his eyes, "How is your shoulder feeling?"

"It's alright," he said hotly. "More importantly, my daughter's spirit has been crushed because of my injury."

"Blaine, I'm so sorry," Jill's voice cracked. "I didn't mean for it to happen."

"Why did you do it?" Blaine asked. "I put all of my trust in you."

"I was distraught," Jill said, tears welling in her eyes. "My dad got arrested for kidnapping your daughter. He blamed you. He blamed you for whatever made him so angry to take her. I felt like, if you hadn't caused conflict with him, he never would have done this. My dad was all I had and now I don't."

"Why would I have upset him enough to make him kidnap my daughter?" Blaine asked. It was a poor excuse and she knew it.

"I don't know," Jill said.

"Have you spoken to him?" Blaine asked, feeling nauseous.

Shaking her head, Jill said, "No, I probably won't see him until we go to court."

"I see," Blaine replied.

They say in silence for a moment, before Jill said, "Okay, this is really awkward. Why are you really here, Blaine?"

Shrugging, he said, "Detective Slate recommended it. She said you were kind of distraught and it might help if I talk to you."

"Do you feel better?" Jill raised an eyebrow.

"No, I feel terrible," Blaine sighed.

"Yeah, me too," Jill replied. She bit her lip and glanced down at her lap. "Look, for what it's worth: I really am sorry, Blaine. I never meant for any of this to happen."

"I'm not ready to forgive you yet, Jill," Blaine said. "This has given my baby girl problems for the rest of her life. She's never going to fully heal from this."

"I know," Jill said quietly.

"She's only eight," Blaine's voice cracked. "Your father scarred her for the rest of her life, and I can't forgive him for that."

"I had nothing to do with the kidnapping," Jill shook her head. "I was trying to help you."

"But you turned your back on me in a delicate situation. You gave my daughter an image that will be engraved in her mind all of her life," Blaine stood up and took a step backward. "My daughter comes first to me, Jill. She's hurting and I can't forgive myself for leaving her vulnerable enough for Tim to do what he did. I'm not going to forgive you either." Tears stung his eyes and he turned to leave before he broke down in front of her.

Just as Blaine reached for the handle, Jill said, "Blaine, I understand. I don't blame you, because I can't forgive myself either."

To this, Blaine had no response. He wiped a tear off his cheek and pushed the door open, leaving Jill to her thoughts. He made his way out to the streets. He kicked the nearest wall out of frustration. Sinking to the ground, Blaine felt his heart beating quickly in his chest. He stared up at the passing clouds and sighed in defeat. This torment was never going to end.

* * *

Blaine's fingers moved across the piano keys with ease. He found himself getting lost in the flow of the music. Nothing else in that moment mattered. The pain in his shoulder was forgotten, the pain in his heart was forgotten, and the world around him disappeared.

When he finished, a slow, steady applause from a single pair of hands filled the room. "I haven't heard you play in a long time." Kurt sat down on the bench next to him and smiled, "It's nice but how's your arm?"

"I mostly used my right. My last appointment ended early, so I was playing around," Blaine blushed. He closed the lid of the piano and asked, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Rachel called me earlier. She took Belle to therapy today and she had another mental breakdown. Rachel didn't know what to do. She just wanted me or you, so I came to give her a helping hand," he replied.

"Where is she now?" Blaine asked.

"Sam took her out for ice cream after he got home from school. I told him I really needed to get back to work," Kurt explained.

"So why aren't you at work?" Blaine asked again.

"I had already left for the day," Kurt shrugged. "I just needed time away. I love Belle to death and I want to be there as much as possible for her. But this stress of working and dealing with nightmares and everything is getting to me. I just needed an hour or two away."

"So you came here," Blaine stated.

Placing his hand on Blaine's thigh, Kurt said, "I just really miss you."

"I miss you too," Blaine said quietly, knowing it was partly his fault that he had been distant with Kurt.

"And I'm worried about you. I really think we need to talk," Kurt said, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

"There's nothing to talk about," Blaine pulled away and climbed off the bench. He picked up a stack of sheet music on the top of the piano and placed it in a folder.

"I don't believe that," Kurt followed him across the room. "You've been distant. You've been quiet. And I think I know you well enough to know when you've been hurting."

"Do you blame me? You've been dealing with a lot too, Kurt," Blaine snapped.

"No," Kurt hesitated. "No, this is different. I'm okay. I mean, as okay as I can be given circumstances. Sure, it's been stressful but I'm dealing with it."

"So am I," Blaine said.

"Then why won't you talk to me?" Kurt grabbed his arm. "Talk to me, Blaine. Let me help you."

"You can't help me. You don't understand," Blaine felt his heart beating quickly in his chest.

"What wouldn't I understand? I've been going through this too? I may be handling it but I am hurting too. I know this is hard. I just wish we were dealing with this together. Please, Blaine, talk to me," Kurt begged. His piercing blue eyes digging deep into Blaine's emotions."

"It's not the same!" Blaine's voice cracked. Tears formed in his eyes, as he said,. "You weren't the one that lost their dad. You weren't the one responsible for Belle's disappearance. You weren't the one betrayed by family. You weren't the one that found Belle. You weren't the one she watches get shot and go through emergency surgery. You aren't the one having trouble talking to her. You don't understand. You'll never understand."

Taking a deep breath, Kurt was silent for a long moment before he said, "You're right, Blaine. I don't understand. You have been through a lot and I'm sorry you're hurting so much. I hate seeing you in pain."

"I'm just tired of hurting," Blaine said quietly, his voice cracking.

Wrapping his arms around Blaine, Kurt pulled him into a tight hug and said,"I know, sweetie. I know. I wish there was something I could do to take your pain away."

I"You can't," Blaine whispered.

"Than can you let me just be your comfort?" Kurt cupped his hand over his cheek. "Let me be here for you. Let me hold you and be your shoulder to cry on. I want to be here for you. We're in this together."

Blaine stared into Kurt's piercing blue eyes and felt his heart sink. He had let down the person he loved more than anything in this world. He had pushed Kurt away and hurt him in the process. "I'm so sorry, Kurt," he whispered.

"No, don't be sorry," Kurt rubbed his thumb across Blaine's cheek. "You've been overwhelmed. I understand. I just want to be here for you."

Blaine slowly nodded. "You're right. I should rely on you. I-I want to. I love you and I'm sorry I've been pushing you away."

"Then can you promise me that you'll let me in? Can you promise me that we'll stick together through this?" Kurt asked.

Blaine stared into the eyes that made his heart melt every time he saw them. He loved Kurt and he needed to work harder to hold on to the love they had. "I promise that I'll try," he said quietly.

"I love you" Kurt kissed him gently

I love you too," Blaine deepened the kiss. "I promise I'll always love you."

* * *

"What are those for?" Belle asked, as Blaine pulled color samples off the shelf.

"They're for painting," Blaine explained. "The baby's going to need his own room and we want to make it fun for him."

"Babies don't have favorite colors," Belle rolled her eyes. A hint of annoyance in her voice.

"No but it'll look nice," Blaine pulled a couple more samples down. "What color do you like better: blue or green?"

"Hmm," Belle placed a hand under her chin and considered her choices. "Maybe you could do both, because you have green eyes and dad has blue eyes."

Raising an eyebrow, Blaine stared at his options. "You know, that would be a good idea. We could have the room painted two different colors."

"What room is the baby going to sleep in?" Belle asked.

Hesitating, Blaine knelt down in front of her and said, "We were thinking about having him stay in your room and moving you into the office."

"Oh," Belle said shortly, her eyes focused on the ground.

"It's closer to our room and it's smaller than the office," Blaine placed a hand on her shoulders. "Don't worry. The office is slightly bigger than your room. It was supposed to be another bedroom but we wanted you closer to us when you were an infant."

"Okay," Belle said quietly.

"You get a bigger room. Isn't that a good thing?" Blaine asked, noticing the sad look on her face.

"Sure," she shrugged. "C-can I pick out a color for my new room?" Belle asked. "I think I want yellow instead of pink."

"Sure," Blaine said. "I'll be right over by the counter. We can get them started on making the paint. Bring over your color when you find it."

"Okay," Belle said, reaching for the samples.

Blaine moved toward the counter. The samples were close enough that he could still see Belle from where he was." "Can I get this shade of green and this shade of blue made?" Blaine asked the man behind the counter. He waited, watching Belle make a decision.

After a moment, a man walked up from behind her and stood next to her. Blaine's body stiffened. He watched as his heart beat quickly in his chest. Ever since she came home, he hated leaving her and he hated when other people came near her.

The man bent down and said something to her. Belle nodded. She then grabbed one more sample from the shelf and walked over to Blaine. "Do you like this shade of yellow or this one?" she held up two separate sheets.

"What did he say to you?" Blaine asked, staring at the man. He grabbed her arm.

"He said he liked the color I picked and asked if yellow was my favorite color," Belle told him.

"And that was all?" Blaine watched the guy pull samples from the shelf.

Taking his hand, Belle said, "Yes, daddy, it's fine. Why are you acting like that?"

Shaking his head, Blaine said, "Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry." He fidgeted with the small contents on the counter. He was driving himself crazy. He was too paranoid and he knew it.

Belle and Blaine walked out of the store fifteen minutes later with two gallons of paint. He bought the yellow for Belle's room and the green for the baby's room. He didn't have enough hands, so he decided to come back for the blue paint another day.

"Do you want to catch a cab back or take the subway?" Blaine asked.

"I like the subway," Belle replied.

"Subway it is," Blaine led her in the direction of the nearest subway entrance. They made their way downstairs and waited for the next train.

The ride home was a bit long. Blaine found himself dozing. When he realized they were at their stop, he grabbed his paint cans and said, "Come on, Belle." He moved off the train and turned around in time to see the door close. He glanced around him and realized he had left the train alone.

"No," he whispered. The paint cans dropped from his hand and rolled toward the train. The train disappeared and the cans fell on the tracks. Blaine stared with wide eyes at the disappearing train. "Belle!" he called, running toward the exit. He bolted up the stairs and on to the street, knocking people out of the way as he went.

This wasn't happening again. It wasn't. He couldn't lose her a second time.

Scanning the street, he saw an empty cab approach. Blaine ran out in the road, flagging it down. The driver hollered at him for being an idiot but Blaine didn't care. He instructed the driver to a subway stop far enough that would give him time to beat the train. Traffic was flowing with ease but Blaine felt nauseous and fearful that he wouldn't beat the train.

When reaching his stop, Blaine through cash in the drivers hand and said "keep the change." He flew out the door and ran down the subway stairs. He scanned the station and paced for a moment. He had to beat the train. If he didn't, Belle would be lost for sure.

After a couple minutes, a train pulled into the station. Blaine found the car they had entered and pushed through the passengers leaving to find Belle.

She sat in the same seat he left her. Eyes filled with tears, she stared out the window at the platform. Blaine's heart skipped a beat and he ran to her, "Belle," he hugged her tightly. "Honey, I'm so, so sorry."

Her sobs could be heard but she didn't respond. She clung to him with all of her strength. Her small body shook in his arms.

The train pulled out of the station and Blaine pulled away from Belle. He stared into her eyes and wiped a tear off her cheek. "I thought you were behind me. I didn't know," he said, tears falling from his own eyes.

"I was asleep," she whispered, climbing on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I woke up and you were gone. I didn't know what to do."

"Are you mad at me?" Blaine asked.

She shrugged, "I don't think so. I was just scared. I didn't want to be kidnapped again."

"Annabelle, honey, I am so sorry," Blaine whispered, pulling her tight to his body. "I promise I'm not never going to let anything happen to you again."

As the train continued, Blaine started thinking about how much potential trouble could happen in a split second. New York was a big place and Belle was vulnerable to danger no matter where she went, just like the baby would be.

He had already made the mistake of losing Belle in the short time she had been home, after her kidnapping had been his fault as well. Blaine had been so hurt by the kidnapping but he didn't consider how frightened of danger Belle had to be all the time too. It was probably worse for her. Kurt was right: They did need to deal with this together, as a family. So far, Blaine hadn't been there for Belle the way he should have been.

Blaine needed to do whatever it took to protect Belle from harm. On that train, he made a promise to himself that he would do whatever it took to protect his daughter.

* * *

**Hi Guys! I'm so sorry for my lack of updates. My life has just been so hectic. I wanted to do more with this chapter but k really just wanted to get something up. It's a small step though. Blaine realizes he's been too focused on his own problems to think about how Belle is feeling, and he knows he needs to change that. I'm really going to try my best to work on this story and get it finished for you. It's been a long process and I'm so sorry. **


	23. Week 23 - Comfort Zones

"Remember how you told me last week that you'd try harder to let me in?" Kurt sat on the floor of The office, watching Blaine run a roller full of yellow paint up the wall.

"Yes," Blaine said curtly.

"I don't think you're trying very hard," Kurt said.

Setting the roller in the pan, laine asked, "What makes you say that?"

"Because you've been quiet the last two days. I noticed when Rachel came to get Belle last night that you had a hard time letting her leave," Kurt stood up and took Blaine's hand in his.

"I just miss her. I wish she didn't have to stay the weekend," Blaine explained. "I don't get to see her during work hours and around her nights with Rachel and Sam," Blaine shrugged.

"There's more," Kurt shook his head. "You hardly spoke to her before last week and now you can't leave her side. What changed?"

"The train," Blaine sighed.

"What train?" Kurt crossed his arms over his chest.

"We were on our way home from buying paint and she fell asleep on the subway. I didn't know she wasn't wth me until after the train left," Blaine ran a hand through his thick curls.

"You what?" Kurt's jaw dropped.

"Kurt, I felt terrible," Blaine responded. "I caught a cab, cutting off the route the train travelled. I got to her in time but I couldn't help but think of how she felt."

"Probably terrified," Kurt stated.

"I thought she'd never trust me again," Blaine shook his head. "I thought I had ruined everything. I mean, what the hell was I thinking?"

"You weren't," Kurt raised an eyebrow. He climbed to his feet and studied his husband carefully. Blaine looked like he got hit by a train. There was no doubt he felt guilty and Kurt couldn't blame him there.

"Exactly. Kurt, I have been so caught up in my own sadness. I was in thought and didn't think to check for her. At first, I was afraid she'd hate me, but when I saw her face, I knew it was more about how she felt. She was scared, Kurt and I made her feel that way. I'm her father. I'm supposed to make her feel protected."

Kurt glared into Blaine's hazel eyes for a long moment. His arms fell to his sides and he helplessly said, "I wish you had told me."

"What was I supposed to say? 'Hi, honey, I nearly lost our daughter on the subway today. How was your day?'" Blaine stepped closer. "I just felt so guilty."

"Belle didn't seem too scarred from it. I haven't noticed any changes," Kurt replied.

"She's fine, I think," Blaine said. "I think it shook me up more than her, but she had been sleeping through most of it and I was in an adrenaline rush. I knew I had a chance to catch it, because I know that train route well enough. She woke up and found me gone but I don't think she had a lot of time to think about what that really meant."

Kurt stared at Blaine but didn't know how to respond.

"What?" Blaine finally asked.

"I'm just so tired, Blaine," Kurt said quietly.

"What do you mean? What's wrong?" Blaine asked.

"I just wish this was over. I thought it'd be over when Belle came back but there's so many pieces to pick up," Kurt bit his lip nervously. "I'm worried about you and Belle and what to do when the baby comes, and it's just tiring."

"I know," Blaine squeezed his hand. "But I think that's our problem. We're so worried about what might happen. I mean, there's always a chance something could go wrong."

"We'll only live in fear if we don't enjoy the time we have with Belle or the baby," Kurt replied. "it's just so hard and I'm so tired."

Leaning toward him, Blaine met Kurt's lips. "We're going to be fine," Blaine rested his forehead on Kurt's. "Don't worry so much."

"You're probably the last person that should be telling me that," Kurt smiled weakly.

"I can help you loosen up," Blaine mumbled, unbuttoning the top two buttons of Kurt's shirt.

"We're supposed to be painting the office," Kurt said, as Blaine yanked on his shirt sleeve, guiding his shirt off with ease.

"We are," Blaine kissed his neck, working his way down Kurt's torso.

"Belle will be home in a few hours," Kurt said lamely.

"We don't have to take that long," Blaine said, pulling at his own shirt.

Eyes following Blaine's perfect form, Kurt felt his mind cave in. It had been so long. He licked his lips and said, "Fine, but let's not do this here. I don't want the memory of painting Belle's room to be full of. -"

Blaine's mouth cut him off and Kurt deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around Blaine's body. He pulled Blaine close to him and started backing up toward the door.

"You're really... gonna take... The fun out of... painting... Aren't you?" Blaine said between desperate kisses.

Without responding, Kurt led him into the bedroom and shut the door.

* * *

People filed out of the theater after the final ballet recital of the season. Belle grabbed Kurt's hand and dragged him toward her friends, who were out in the hall greeting their friends and family.

Blaine, Rachel, and Sam followed behind them. "She seems more eager to see her friends this time," Blaine said, taking Kurt's free hand.

"Don't remind her," Kurt mumbled, as Belle hugged the girl closest to them.

The four of them stood and watched Belle for a minute. Rhonda came over and shook Sam's hand, "Hi everyone! I'm so glad Belle could make it out. How's she doing?"

"I think she misses her friends. She hasn't been to school yet," Blaine said. "She's going to have to repeat second grade next year."

"Sure," Rhonda nodded. "Well, just know that she's welcome back next year. I missed having her here. She's a sweet girl."

"Thank you," Kurt smiled.

Little footsteps came quickly down the hallway. Belle showed up at Kurt's side and hugged his waist. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she buried her face in his side.

"What's wrong?" Kurt asked, rubbing her back.

"Hannah told me that I was faking it," Belle choked out. "She said I just wasn't a good dancer and that I said. I was kidnapped so I didn't have to be embarrassed about my dancing any more."

Kurt and Blaine exchanged uncertain glances. This was not something they had considered before. Before Kurt had time to think about what to say, Sam stormed in the direction of Hannah and her family.

"Sam!" Rachel called, following him. She reached for his arm and he pushed her back. "Sam, please!"

When he reached Hannah's father, Sam punched him in the jaw. He began yelling, "What are you telling your kid, huh? You think this is a joke?"

"Excuse me?!" His wife replied.

Hannah's father pulled his arm back to hit Sam in return and Rachel jumped jn between them before anything happened. The man froze. "Don't you talk to me like that."

"Don't you talk to my daughter like that!" Sam hollered. Kurt and Blaine rushed forward and grabbed each arm.

"I didn't do anything to your daughter!" Hannah's father retorted, giving Sam a shove backward. "I do not approve of you talking to me in such a way!"

"Your daughter accused Belle of faking her kidnapping. Are you telling me that she came up with that on her own?" Sam hollered. "You put that in her mind! She didn't think of that herself! How dare you! You have no idea how hard this has been on her family and on Belle!" Tears streamed down Sam's cheeks. His body began to tremble and Kurt gently touched his shoulder.

"Sam, enough," Kurt said quietly.

"No, let me tell you something," Hannah's father pushed Kurt aside, standing toe to toe with Sam. He poked Sam's chest with his finger and said, "You don't tell me what I can and can't tell my child. You don't tell me what my daughter is allowed to believe. You can take your pathetic team of gays and your large woman and your fake of a daughter and get the hell out of here. We don't need your strange family harassing our innocent children."

Sam swung to punch the man again but he grabbed Sam's arm and twisted it firmly. Sam let out a cry of pain and the man released him. "Get out of here," he growled.

Kurt took Sam's hand and pulled him away from the crowd. Blaine wrapped his arm around Rachel's waist and Rachel took Belle's hand and the three of them followed.

Once on the street, Kurt stopped and turned to Sam, "Look, I know this hard but was that necessary?"

"You don't think it wasn't?" Sam said defensively. "Belle shouldn't have to hear things like that. These kids have no idea what she's been through."

"We know that," Blaine said quietly. "We do appreciate your help, Sam, but that was a little out of line. It could have been handled better."

"Oh, well, thanks," Sam threw his hands in the air in annoyance. "You know, this isn't just about the two of you. Rachel and I have been dealing with this too. Not to mention, Rachel's been pregnant with your baby during this. She's been under a lot of stress and I have too. Belle is like our daughter and we've had a hard time coping too."

"Sam, I'm sorry. I didn't think -" Kurt started.

Sam interrupted, "You're right. You didn't think. I know you didn't like hearing what that jerk said. Well, i didn't either and that's how I dealt with it. I'm sorry if my feelings don't matter to you."

"That's not what we meant," Blaine replied.

Rolling his eyes, Sam said, "Yes. It is. You two have been so caught up in your own feelings. Have you even bothered asking Rachel how things are going with her pregnancy? Did you know we started planning our wedding? Have you stopped to think about us at all? We hardly hear from you outside of Rachel babysitting Belle while you two work. When we do, it's all about you and how miserable Blaine is and how stressed Kurt is. We were all supposed to be a family, but lately that's not how things have been.

"Sam, I'm sorry," Kurt said quietly.

"Tell me that when you mean it," he scoffed. Taking Rachel's hand, he pulled her arm and said, "Come on, Rachel. We're not welcome here anymore."

As Sam half dragged Rachel behind him, she turned her head to give them one last look. The two of them disappeared around the corner and they were gone.

Kurt, Blaine, and Belle stood in silence for a minute, before Blaine said, "Well, that was unexpected."

"He's right though," Kurt said, taking Belle's hand. "This has been hard for them too. I can't remember the last time I had a real conversation with Sam."

"Things have just been hectic," Blaine said, taking Kurt's other hand.

Shaking his head, "Kurt said, "That's not an excuse. We're a family, and we can't let that fall apart now because we're afraid to leave our conifer zone."

* * *

Kurt tried calling Sam to apologize but his calls were sent to voicemail. He showed up at the apartment once and no one answered.

Finally, he text Rachel to see if she'd respond to that.

(3:45) Kurt: are you as upset with me as Sam is?

(4:23) Rachel: I can't say I'm thrilled about the way you've been acting.

(4:26) Kurt: So you agree with him. Rachel, I never meant to leave you out of this.

(4:51) Rachel: I know. You've been taking it hard.

(4:53) But I think you also need to keep in mind that Belle isn't gone anymore. I know she's hurting and that makes you hurt, but sometimes I think you and Blaine act like she's still not here. You should be somewhat happy because you have her.

(5:00) Kurt: I guess I didn't think about that. I should be cherishing the time I have with her.

(5:13) Rachel: Plus the more she sees you and Blaine hurting, the more she'll think it's okay o hurt. She needs to get back to a normal routine. She n reds her own bed and her own time away from family. When you aren't around, she's with me. She needs friends and she needs to breathe fresh air. Right now sheMs stuck in this little bubble.

(5:16) Kirt: I know you're right. Blaine and I have thought about it but we're too comfortable to act on it. That needs to change. I'm sorry I've been such an idiot.

(5:18) Rachel: it's okay. I think you just need to work on improving things. They aren't going to get better without everyone making an effort.

:5:20) I love you. You know that. If you need help getting there, I'm here for you.

(5:22) Kurt: I love you too. Thanks. You're the best.

Kurt felt better after talking to Rachel. He knew she was right and he knew it was probably the same reason Sam was upset. It probably wasn't so much that Kurt and Blaine had been neglecting him and Rachel. It was that Kurt and Blaine hadn't tried enough to help Belle heal, to push her beyond her comfort zone. She was in therapy, yes, but she needed more than that. Sam loved Belle like a daughter and wanted to see her get better.

That night, Kurt walked into Belle's room with Blaine at his side. He sat down on the foot of her bed and said, "it's bedtime, sweetie. Got your teeth brushed?"

"Yeah, let's go!" Belle headed toward the bedroom door.

"Actually, Belle, you're gonna stay in here tonight," Kurt remained where he was.

She stopped in her tracks, "I am?"

"She is?" Blaine raised an eyebrow.

"You've been in our room every night, honey. You've been in your mom and Sam's bed too. I think you need to try a night alone," Kurt explained.

"No! Please don't make me," Belle said, tears welling in her eyes. "I need you."

"If she's not ready..." Blaine hesitated.

"I'm not ready!" Belle stomped her foot. "You can't make me! I'm too scared!"

Kurt and Blaine exchanged looks. Kurt tried reminding him of the conversation they had the other day, which was the same thing Rachel had mentioned. They had to do what they could to help Belle. Blaine sighed, "Your dad's right, Belle. You should try it tonight."

"No!" she cried, sitting on the floor. "I want to sleep with you!"

Rising from the bed, Kurt sternly said, "Annabelle, you're sleeping in here tonight. You'll never know if you're ready until you try."

"What if she has a nightmare?" Blaine questioned, knowing she did most nights. He still wasn't totally on Kurt's side.

"Then we'll be here, but she needs to try it on her own. At least for tonight, okay?" Kurt explained.

"Fine," she pouted, climbing into her bed. She was so well behaved most of the time but he knew she was angry about it, more than she would show. The fierce look in her eyes proved that.

"Sweet dreams, B," Blaine kissed her forehead.

"I love you. This is for your own good," Kurt leaned in to kiss her and she pulled away. He knew not to push it, so he stepped back. "We'll be just down the hall. You know where to find us."

He followed Blaine out the door and stopped as he heard Belle let out a sob. Part of him wanted to run back in there, scoop her up in his arms, and tell her he'd stay with her. But he knew his friends were right. Belle wasn't getting any better and she needed a little separation. Kurt hoped this would be enough to begin her healing process.


	24. Week 24 - Forgiveness

Belle's cries filled the silent apartment. They were filled with terror and didn't stop.

Blaine rolled over to look at Kurt. It was hard to make out his face in the dark but he could tell Kurt was awake. "What do we do?" he whispered.

"I wish I knew," Kurt sighed. "I don't like this but she needs to be able to sleep in her own bed."

"What time is it?" Blaine asked.

Kurt reached for his phone. Squinting at the light, he mumbled, "12:30."

"Okay, well, she lasted that long. Can't we comfort her and try again tomorrow?" Blanks said, his heart breaking with every sob.

"You have sixth a gentle heart, Blaine Devon Anderson," he sighed, throwing the blankets off of him. He climbed out of bed and shuffled toward the doorway.

"Apparently I'm not the only one," Blaine grinned.

A moment later, Kurt came back in with Belle's legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck. He set her on the middle of the bed and climbed back in.

Belle curled up next to Blaine, her sobs subsiding.

Running his finger along her wet cheek, Blaine said, "It's okay, honey. We're here for you."

Belle's breath slowly returned to normal. Her body relaxed, she fell asleep again. Blaine stared at Kurt through the darkness. He couldn't make out his husband's expression but he knew Kurt had to be thinking the same thing: This was going to be a long, difficult process.

The next two nights passed in a similar fashion. Belle begged them to let her sleep with them. Kurt and Blane both denied her the right, but by two in the morning, she was in bed with them anyway.

On the third morning, Blaine woke up to find Belle nestled against Kurt, who had his arm wrapped around her. Her hair draped against his soft features. Blaine smiled, before climbing out of bed and shuffling into the bathroom.

He made his way into the kitchen from there and made a cup of coffee. Sitting down on the couch, he curled up under a blanket and stared at the wall behind the television.

What seemed like hours passed before Kurt appeared next to the couch. "Why are you out here?"

"Hmm?" Blaine glanced up.

"What's wrong?" Kurt sat down on the couch next to him.

Blinking, Blaine turned to face him and whispered, "I've been thinking about something."

"And what's that?" Kurt asked.

"Tell me that Jill has nothing to do with Tim's actions," he said quietly. "I mean, she helped me find Belle, right?"

"Yes," Kurt moved closer. "Why do you think she is guilty?"

"Kurt, I think she panicked," Blaine said. "You don't know what it was like there. It was intense. If it had come down between Belle and anyone else, I probably would have stopped them with a gun too."

"You don't mean that," Kurt replied.

"She's my everything, Kurt," he whispered, tears in his eyes.

"Blaine, honey, I know. I love her too," Kurt took his hand.

"I can't forgive myself for what happened," Blaine's voice cracked. "I can't forgive myself for letting any of this happen. I should have been more responsible. I should have done everything humanly possible to find her. I should have handled the rescue mission better. I can't let it go."

"Rachel told me we need to stop acting like we don't have her anymore," Kurt said.

"I can't," Blaine said. "I left her on the subway. I panicked when a stranger came near her... " Meeting Kurt's warm blue eyes, he said, "I'm just so afraid of losing her again."

"I know how you feel," Kurt pulled him into a tight embrace, tears now falling down his cheeks too. "I know. I'm scared too. I can't stand to see anything happen to her."

"I just feel so guilty," Blaine buried his face in Kurt's shoulder. He let his tears fall. His body trembling. He hadn't let his guard down this much since Belle came home. He had tried so hard to be strong for her, for Kurt, but he couldn't anymore.

Rubbing his back, Kurt soothingly said, "Shhh. It's okay. It's okay to feel like this."

He didn't know how long they held each other. He didn't care. He cried until he couldn't anymore.

When they finally broke apart, Kurt cupped his hand over Blaine's cheek and said, "You don't have to pretend you're okay. You don't have to be better just because she's here. We all experienced something traumatic. It takes time to heal.

"I love you," Blaine whispered.

"I love you too," Kurt gently kissed him. He pulled back and met his eyes, "I really love you."

"Kurt, I have to do what's right for my family," Blaine didn't break his eye contact. "If we're ever going to get beyond this, I have to forgive Jill. Kurt, I want to drop charges against her."

Sitting back, he let out a long sigh. "Blaine, that's a serious step to take."

"She didn't mean to hurt me," Blaine said.

"But she did," Kurt said fiercely. "She did hurt you. She could have hurt Sam or Belle too."

"But she didn't. I said I would have done the same to protect my daughter. Jill loves him, Kurt. She was trying to protect her family," Blaine needed his husband to understand. "If I can't forgive her, I can't move forward."

"You'd have to forgive Tim to move forward too. Are you going to drop charges against him too?" Kurt's voice grew bitter.

"Of course not," Blaine replied.

Pounding his fist on his thigh, Kurt said, "and what happens when you do drop charges? She won't testify against Tim in court. If you no longer claim her guilty, your story changes."

"It was an accident," Blaine said. "Look, I told Jill I couldn't forgive her but it's left me feeling worse because I know that I never would have found Belle without her."

Closing his eyes, Kurt took a deep breath. He took Blaine s hand and squeezed it, " sweetie, I know you mean well. I do. I'm just worried about what that will do to your case."

"Jill had nothing to do with Belle's kidnapping," Blaine said. "She helped me find Belle. The only wrong thing she did was hurt me. I can't accuse her of being an accomplice because I know she wanted to help."

"You're absolutely sure about this? You're not just saying it in a moment of weakness?" Kurt asked.

"It's the right thing to do," Blaine said quietly.

Kurt gave a weak smile, "I fell in love with you for your kind heart. If this is what your heart is telling you, I'll stand by your decision.

* * *

"Make sure you finish your work on your essays sooner than later. It's due Friday and I hope the majority of your work is already done," Sam announced to his class.

The bell rang.

A group of twenty students filed by Blaine, who stood in the doorway. When the last student left, Sam said, "You always were good about showing up here to corner me when I avoid you." He stuffed a stack of papers in the drawer of his desk.

"We need to talk," Blaine entered the classroom. He sat down at a desk in the front row.

"I said my piece," Sam said, moving to the back of the classroom and picking up a scrap of paper off the floor and tossing it in the trash.

"Sam, I'm trying," Blaine stood up. "I don't want to hurt over this anymore."

"No one does," Sam snarled. "But do you have any idea how much I hurt from it?" He went back to his desk and slammed down a book on it. "Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to be in this classroom every day? To come here and see kids who have no real problems that they make out to be the end of the world. To show up knowing that Belle's classroom has an empty seat. To come home on our weekends to her empty room. To make a cake with Rachel on her birthday and throw the entire thing away because neither of us could stomach eating it. To watch Rachel's pregnancy progress knowing she knew nothing about it."

"Sam," Blaine whispered.

"Don't tell me you understand! Don't tell me you know!" Sam shouted. "You and Kurt forgot that Rachel and I were hurting too! Where was my best friend when my daughter disappeared? My best friend, who knew exactly how I felt, couldn't be there!"

"Where were you, Sam?" Blaine shouted. "Couldn't I say the same about you? When did you stop by to make sure we were okay?"

Sam had no response to this.

Blaine approached the desk. Running his hand through his hair, he took a deep breath, "Listen, I'm sorry," he said. "We were all dealing with a lot and time got away from us. I wish I had known you were hurting so much. I wish I had known you made a cake. I didn't even remember her birthday."

"I couldn't forget," Sam said quietly.

"You are family, Sam," Blaine said. "I didn't realize how much you had become a part of our family until I saw how hurt you were over this."

"I didn't know either until she disappeared," Sam said.

Bowing his head, Blaine gripped the side of the desk and said, "Sam, you are my best friend and I never meant to hurt you. You are family. I'm sorry it took a tragedy to fully appreciate that. You've been there for Rachel and for Belle. I'm so grateful she has you."

Sam came around the desk and gave Blaine a hug. "I'm sorry too. I guess I just needed to get those feelings off my chest. I was upset but I know this has been hard for you." He put a hand on Blaine's shoulder, "I just want things to get back to normal, you know?"

"Believe me, I know," Blaine shook his head. "That's why I'm going to see about dropping Jill's charges. I need to move on through forgiveness."

"Good for you. It will do you some good," Sam smiled. "I think I know what else would make things less tense around here."

"What's that?" Blaine asked.

"Rachel and I were talking about waiting for the wedding for things to calm down but maybe we need some happiness among all this insanity," Sam said.

"You want to get married now?" Blaine raised his eyebrows.

"Dude, why not? Hasn't all of this proven that things can change so quickly? There's no time like the present." Sam scooped up his briefcase and said, "I need to get home to my future wife. I'll talk to you later, B." He patted Blaine's shoulder and said, "I'm really glad we worked things out."

Blaine stood there dumbfounded. "Yeah, me too," he said to the empty room.

* * *

With a tray in his hand, Blaine tapped lightly on Belle's bedroom door. He cracked it open slightly and saw her facedown on her bed. "Belle?" he said quietly.

Rolling over, she sat up and sniffed. Her face was red and her eyes were bloodshot. "Hi," she hiccuped.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Blaine asked quietly. He set the tray on the night stand next to her bed and sat down. "I brought you some hot chocolate and graham crackers."

"I'm not hungry," she said quietly.

"Are you in the mood to talk?" Blaine brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

She shrugged.

"You can always talk to me," he told her.

"I heard you two talking the other day," Belle winced. "You were really upset."

"Belle," Blaine gently placed his hand on top of hers.

"You said you felt guilty," she continued.

"I do feel guilty. Belle, none of this was your fault. You know that, right?" Blaine asked.

"It wasn't yours either," Belle replied. "Dad you didn't know what would happen any more than I did."

Blaine gave half a smile, "When did you get so smart?"

"I had a lot of time to think," she admitted. "I hated you for what happened. You weren't there to save me and then you didn't come and you didn't come and I still hated you for it."

Blaine felt a pang in his chest. Hearing this didn't make him feel any better. "You did?"

"Yeah but I also missed you so much that I didn't care that I hated you," Belle said. "I knew you would never let me be gone so long. He kept... he kept telling me you weren't coming. He said that if you really wanted me, you would have been there by now. I believed him."

"Belle, I didn't know where you were," Blaine whispered.

"I know that now," Belle said. "After you found me and all the talks we've had since, I know that. But dad I'm a little girl and I was scared and alone, and of course I was going to believe him."

"I'm so sorry, Belle," Blaine whispered.

"I don't hate you," Belle said, tears forming in her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too," Blaine said.

She climbed on to his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I don't want you to feel guilty. I know you didn't mean for it to happen."

"Thanks, baby," Blaine kissed her forehead. "But what about the subway? I don't want you to lose your trust in me ever again."

"That was an accident too, right?" Belle asked.

"Of course it was," Blaine said.

"I don't want to be left alone," Belle said. "I'm scared. I hate going to sleep alone and I don't like being away from you guys when we leave the house."

"You have to learn to be apart sometime. That's why you sleep in here. What happens when you go back to school?"

"I'm just not ready," she said quietly.

"Well, we have most of the summer to think about that," Blaine said. "We'll work on things one day at a time. But I promise I'll get your trust back."

"I hope so," Belle said. "But I don't want you to feel guilty anymore, okay? I'm not mad at you. I'm just scared."

"I know how you feel," Blaine hugged her. "Thank you for talking to me about this, honey. Maybe therapy is doing you some good after all. I think we need to stay open with each other. We're all dealing with this so we might as well deal with it together."

There was a moment silence and then Belle said, "dad?"

"Yeah," Blaine met her eyes.

"I haven't told you this since that day but thank you for rescuing me. I know I've been sad but I'm really happy to be home."

Blaine blinked back tears, "Me too, my love, me too."


	25. Week 25 - Girls Just Want To Have Fun

Loud pounding on the dressing room door made Rachel jump. From the other side, she heard Quinn Fabray's voice, "Rachel, if you never come out, we'll never know if it fits."

Swinging the door open, Rachel sighed heavily. She placed her hands on her hips and said, "Ugh. This is Kurt and Blaine's wedding all over again. I was so huge, I could barely fit into my dress."

"I can't believe Sam is making you get married now. Why not wait until after you get your hot bod back," Quinn circled her, studying every inch of her body.

"Thanks, Quinn," Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Not that you aren't hot now," Quinn touched her belly.

"I agreed to marry Sam now. It's not about looks. It's about our love," she winced at her reflection in the mirror. "I just wish I had the looks to go with it."

"Then why don't you wait?" Quinn asked.

"Because I love Sam and we want to be together," Rachel said, turning from the mirror.

"You two have waited this long. Why not wait a little longer?"

"It just feels right," Rachel shrugged. She turned back to the mirror and stared at her reflection. "I like this one."

"It hides your bump a little," Quinn said. "It's pretty."

Rachel smiled, "Thanks Quinn. i'm going to change and we can get out of here." She went back into the dressing room, changed, and paid for the dress.

"So I'm thinking we need to have a bachelorette party for you," Quinn said, climbing into the car.

"That's not necessary," Rachel blushed. "No one will come. I called you because I knew you were about the only woman I could find on short notice to help me with last minute wedding plans. This is a small wedding. No need to make a big deal before."

"Rachel, given that this is your first real wedding, you deserve it," Quinn said. "Thank God this is your first. Remember when you and Finn nearly got married? What a joke that was."

"It wasn't a joke. We were in love," Rachel said defensively. She felt a longing for her late boyfriend. It seemed a lifetime away that she had stood before Finn in the hallway of the court house in a white dress.

"You were kids. It wasn't love. All of our stupid mistakes in high school weren't love. It's a shame we didn't know that then. Could have spared ourselves a lot of heartbreak," Quinn rolled her eyes.

"I don't regret a minute with Finn. I would do it all over again even knowing... that it wouldn't last," Rachel replied.

"But he's gone and you love Sam now," Quinn reminded her.

Rachel blinked, staring out he car window at the perfect blue sky. "Yeah, I know," she said quietly.

* * *

Belle twirled in circles, her white dress flowing around her.

"You look so beautiful," Rachel smiled. "I think this dress is perfect for you."

"Thanks, mom," Belle gave another twirl. "You're going to look beautiful in your dress too."

"Thanks," Rachel smiled. She grabbed Belle's hand and pulled her close. "I know you're not happy about the baby, so I want to ask you how you feel about me and Sam getting married next week."

"Well, that makes me happy," Belle said.

"Why's that?"

"Because I love Sam," Belle shrugged. "He's practically my third dad anyway, so it's about time you got married."

Rachel chuckled, "I'm happy you feel that way, because I do want us all to be a family."

"Even the baby?" Belle said bitterly.

"Especially the baby," Rachel placed her hand on her stomach. "He can't wait to see you, you know?"

"Well, I can wait to see him," Belle went to the mirror to look at her dress. It hurt Rachel to know that Belle was still bitter about the baby despite their efforts to tell her it would all be okay.

"Look at you!" Sam cried entering the room.

"Hi Sammy," Belle rushed over and hugged him. He scooped her up into his arms.

"You are going to make the most beautiful flower girl in the whole world," Sam said.

"Can I ask you a question?" Belle asked.

"You just did," Sam tickled her.

Belle chuckled, "When you and mom get married, should I call you dad?"

Sam and Rachel met eyes. She gave him half a smile. This was up to him, not her.

"You don't have to. You already have two people you call dad. It might get confusing if you call three people that," Sam said, looking back at Belle.

"But you will be my dad, right?" she said seriously.

"Yeah," Sam answered. "But you can still call me Sam if you want to."

"I can call you Sam and tell everyone you're my dad," Belle stated. She kissed his cheek. "I like that you'll be my other dad."

"And I can't wait for you to be my daughter," Sam replied. "Thank you for being our flower girl. I like that you're a part of our wedding."

"Mom and I were going out for ice cream," Belle told him as he set her down. "Do you want to come with us?"

"I wish I could but I have essays I need to grade. I've been avoiding them. Why don't you two go have some girl time?" Sam smiled.

"Okay. Can we go now?" she asked Rachel.

"As soon as you get changed," Rachel stood up and swayed a little. She shook her head and walked over to Sam. "Why don't we go wait while she gets changed." She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the living room.

"I love you," Sam said, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "I can't wait for you to be my wife next week." He kissed her gently.

"I feel the exact same way," she said softly. "We'll finally be a family."

"And then we can start our own family," he said, touching her stomach. "As long as you aren't over being pregnant by then."

"Actually I think it'd be a welcome change to be able to keep one of the babies I give birth to," she smiled. "You really mean that though? You'd want to start a family?"

"Of course. The feeling grows stronger every time I see you and wish he was ours," Sam kissed her again. "I'm ready for this. All of it. No regrets, right?"

Something nagging at the back of her mind made her hesitate before she looked into his loving eyes and smiled, "Not for a moment." She met his lips once more.

"Can't this wait? Ice cream is waiting," Belle shuffled into the room.

Breaking apart, Sam and Rachel giggled. "All right, all right, let's go." She grabbed her sweater and returned to Sam's side again. "We'll finish later," she whispered before kissing his cheek and heading toward the door. She was looking forward to spending time with her daughter.

Rachel and Belle reached the street and began walking toward the nearest subway. They hopped on a train and made their way for the closest ice cream shop.

* * *

His gentle features. His kind brown eyes. His loving half smile. His picture stared up at her like a knife in her heart.

Why had things worked out this way? Why had Finn died leaving her behind? Why had they not gotten married and started a life together? What would have been different now if they had gotten married then?

"I miss you so much," she whispered, tracing the frozen features in the picture.

Rachel was about to get married in a week. She needed to focus her thoughts on Sam but regrets about Finn kept clouding her thoughts.

"If you were here, you would know just what to say to make me feel better," Rachel told the picture. "I know we were too young and I knew we were right not to get married. Am I right to have the same doubts now? I don't know what I'm doing."

A long silence followed. In her mind, Rachel could hear Finn's voice. She knew he'd tell him to follow her heart. She was a strong, smart woman and she knew how to make the right choices.

A knock came on the bedroom door. Kurt popped his head in and said, "Hey, lady. Are you ready for your party?" He frowned, noticing the sad expression on her face. He sat down next to her and placed his arm around her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"I just miss him," she said, not taking her eyes off of Finn's picture.

"Sometimes I really miss him too," Kurt said.

"It just makes me wonder if I'm not meant for this," she said sadly. "The first man I loved died. The second one fell in love with my best friend. What if things don't work out with Sam? I've been pregnant twice and neither child is mine. It's like I keep getting teased with things that normal people get to have and I don't get my dreams. I had to give up Funny girl. Everything gets taken from me." Tears formed in her eyes.

"Honey, that's not how it works," Kurt pulled her close to him, giving her a hug. "You offered to be our surrogate this time. I know Belle wasn't planned but look at what a blessing she has been. She is your child. As for relationships, it just wasn't meant to be."

"Maybe Sam isn't either," she mumbled.

Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, Kurt smiled, "I know Sam's right for you. Look at how much he's been there for you. Most guys would have left a long time ago. It takes a special person to love you, Rachel Berry. And I know Sam loves you."

"I know he does," she said looking into his soft eyes. "Just don't tell him I've been having doubts." She leaned his head on his shoulders.

"I wouldn't. That's up to you, not me," Kurt patted her thigh. "Now come in, there's people here to see you."

"Are you hanging out with us or with the guys?" Rachel said, as Kurt grabbed her hands and pulled her off the bed.

"I know I'm your leading lady at the big event next week but is it weird if I show up to your bachelorette party?" he asked.

She giggled, "Kurt, everyone in glee club knew you took sides with the girls in every chance you had."

"Touché" Kurt said, taking her arm in his. "They're probably going to go out and drink beer anyway, and I'd much rather support a glass of wine in my hand."

"This is why you are my best friend," she said.

"Have a good time," Sam greeted her with a kiss when she entered the room.

"Sure you don't want to hang out with us?" Blaine asked Kurt.

"No, thanks, but enjoy yourself, okay?" Kurt kissed his cheek. He turned to the room, where Mike Chang, Ryder Lynn, Jake and Noah Puckerman, and Artie Abrams were, "it's nice to see you guys again. We don't do this enough."

"Well, if Sam had real friends here, we wouldn't be needed," Jake Puckerman said.

"I do have friends," Sam said. "But when I thought about who I wanted to celebrate this night with, it was the people I'm closest to. My colleagues don't exactly qualify for that."

"That's what happens when you hang around teachers," Artie said. "They'd rather grade papers than have a good time."

"Or we're all just hopelessly stuck in the past. Clinging to our high school friends," Blaine smiled. "We really are so happy you guys could make it out."

"Either way, it's good to have our glee boys back," Rachel waved. "See you guys later."

She set off toward the subway with Kurt. "Can't you tell me where we are going?" Rachel asked.

"No, that wouldn't be fun," Lurt said.

It seemed like it took them forever but they finally reached their destination. "Why are we at NYADA?" Rachel asked.

"I called in a favor with your former dance teacher," Kurt said. "I told her we were celebrating your wedding shower but we needed a place for the party."

"NYADA?" Rachel asked.

"If we're going to do a party, we're going to do it the Rachel Berry way," Tina Cohen-Chang popped out from behind a door. "We needed a place to sing karaoke, amd dance, and when we go home we can watch musicals."

"Ms. July said we could use her space," Marley Rose appeared behind Tina.

"She said she's proud of how far you've come and it's the least she can do to rent her studio to us," Kurt took her hands in his. "This studio was where you were first challenged in New York. You've been challenged greatly since then. So we're here to celebrate a victory... Cassie just said we have to have our asses out of here by eleven," Kurt concluded.

"After that we can safely return to your apartment for a sleepover. Blaine offered to keep Sam and the guys for the night," Santana concluded.

"And Belle?" Rachel asked.

"I'm here," Belle appeared behind Santana.

"That's why we're keeping this PG," Kurt said. "Blaine and I don't have the strength to leave Belle with a babysitter."

"And you're preggers so you can't drink or anything anyway," Santana made a gagging motion. "So we're keeping it pretty old lady-ish, which is right up your alley, Berry."

Tears formed in Rachel's eyes, "That is the sweetest thing you guys could do for me. I'm so lucky to have all of you in my life."

Kurt pulled her into a hug. "I love you, lady."

"I love you too," Rachel said.

Kurt kissed her cheek and then said, "Will you do me the honor of singing. The first diet with me?"

"I would love to," Rachel smiled.

* * *

_Her heart pounded against her rib cage as she walked down the hallway toward him. Hands clenched tightly over the bouquet of flowers, she couldn't take her eyes off his happy expression._

_She stopped in front of him and he said, "Wow. Rachel, you just - you look-"_

_"You do too," she replied. "Ready to go in there?"_

_"Just hang on a second. I want to take a second to remember this -us," he admired her appearance. Her white dress and matching shoes. Her hair tied back against a veil. Finn smiled, "Well, Mrs. Berry Hudson, everyone's waiting."_

_As they turned a corner, she was arm in arm with Blaine. Her heart was still pounding because she was so sure that he would ask for her hand in marriage._

_"Can I ask you a question? he turned to face her, grabbing both of her hands in his._

_Trying to steady her breath, she nodded, "of course." This was it. Her perfect birthday present._

_"I love you, Rachel. You know that, right?" Blaine said._

_"More than anything," Rachel said. She could barely hold herself together. "And yes, I love you more than anything. Yes, I want to be with you my whole life. Yes. Yes."_

_Blaine's face fell, "No... I wasn't..." He blushed, "I don't want to marry you... not now. I just wanted to ask if you wanted to take a carriage ride through Central Park with me. I love you and I want to make your birthday special."_

_She turned on her heel and began walking away, feeling so ashamed to think that he didn't feel the same way after putting her whole heart into loving again after Finn..._

_And as she walked with her head down, she ran into someone. Sam. Pulling her into a tight embrace he said, "I'm sorry, I know we've been together a while but this just doesn't feel right. I want to marry you someday but you're still broken sometimes. Being around Blaine with you is still awkward and don't think I haven't noticed the times you still get upset about Finn."_

_"But you can't be jealous of that. Finn's g-gone." She cried._

_"I just worry about your ability to love when you're still so broken over him and Blaine," Sam said. "We just need more time. I'm sorry. I came here tonight to ask for your hand but I can't."_

_And that's when Finn and Blaine walked up and stood next to him. "I'm sorry," Finn said. "I don't belong here."_

_"I'm sorry," Blaine said, "I love someone else."_

_Sam gave her a sad smile, "You're just not ready."_

_Sam, Blaine, and Finn all faded from view_.

"No! No!"

"Rach? Rachel!" Sam's voice broke through her hazy mind. His soft hands stroked her hair.

Her eyes opened and found his, "Sam," she breathed. Reaching up, she ran her fingertips along his jawline. "You're real. You're here."

Sam smirked, "uh yeah, where else would I be?"

"I don't know," she whispered.

"Bad dream?" he asked.

She nodded. Attempting to sit up, she reached for Sam. He pulled her into his embrace. "It's over now."

"It's not," she said quietly. The fact was that Finn was dead. Blaine had broken her heart for Kurt. Sam had once told her that they weren't ready for marriage.

What if she still wasn't ready?


	26. Week 28 - Love, Love, Love

"Papa Hummel is here!" a familiar voice announced when the front door swung open.

"Dad!" Kurt threw himself into his father's arms. "It's so good to see you! I missed you so much!"

"Grandpa!" Belle rushed over and hugged him. "Did you bring me any presents?"

"Belle," Kurt said sternly.

With a serious expression, Burt said, "Your father's right. You can't expect gifts every time I come."

"Dad, do you want some tea?" Kurt moved toward the kitchen.

"No, thanks," Burt said. Behind him, Kurt heard his father mumble, "Here's ten bucks."

"Dad," he turned on his heel, hands on his hips.

Burt shrugged, "What? I love the kid. Besides Carole's bringing up the real present. Just don't tell her about the money."

Belle giggled, "Don't worry, dad. I'll put this away and save it for college."

"For what? Barbie University?" Kurt smiled.

"Good idea," she said, heading toward her bedroom.

When Belle disappeared, Burt said, "How's she doing?"

Kurt sighed, "Can we step out here and talk?" He motioned toward the fire escape. He stepped out and Burt followed. Kurt grabbed the rail and said, "Dad, I just don't know how to help her. She's... better but she still needs time to heal."

"I know how you feel," Burt nodded.

"No, you don't," Kurt said.

Turning to face him, Burt said, "How do you think I felt when your mom died? A boy losing his mother is not an easy thing to deal with. I didn't even know how to handle my own grief. How was I supposed to handle yours?"

"I didn't think about that," Kurt said quietly.

"You were devastated. I didn't know what to do. You know when that changed?"

"No," Kurt whispered, shaking his head.

"Christmas morning. You hung up that bottle of perfume like an ornament. It was the first time I saw you smile since she left us," Burt grabbed his hand. "You kept looking at it all day but you started to enjoy yourself. You had her on your mind but you were able to have a decent Christmas, despite how hard that day was."

"I remember," Kurt said.

Squeezing his hand, Burt said, "I started going back to normal routine. We both missed her like hell but we tried to pick up the pieces. Go about our normal lives like nothing had happened, even though we knew it had."

"So you think we should pretend it didn't happen?" Kurt asked.

"No, because it happened. Just like you will always miss your mom, Belle will never forget what happened." Burt paused, "But you have to push her forward. Encourage her. Don't forget to live. Where would you and I be if we never moved on?"

"You wouldn't be married," Kurt said.

"You're right about that," Burt said. "If you don't move forward, Belle will always be afraid of the outside world."

"Dad, I'm afraid of the outside world," Kurt met his eyes. "I'm so afraid something will happen to. I can't lose my little girl again."

Taking a deep breath, his father said, "That's something you have to get over too. There are always going to be risks. You could ask yourself what if someone else tried taking her. What if she got into a car accident? What if she had cancer? What if she falls in love with someone that isn't right for her? What will happen to her when you and Blaine are gone? You just can't spend your life worrying, Kurt. You have to let her live and you have to enjoy the moments you have with her before you are stuck in a tough situation." He gave Kurt a reassuring smile. "Everything you do for her is out of love. These types of fears are natural and I know they aren't things you want to think about. All you can do is love her and support her. Give her the best life you can right now."

Love for his father consumed him. This was the reason their relationship was so pure. Burt always knew just what to say. Kurt hugged his father and said, "Thank you, dad. I needed to hear that."

"I know you did," Burt smiled weakly. "Because I had to learn the same thing watching you grow up. I couldn't worry about why you were different. I couldn't let my own cancer stop me from knowing you'd be okay without me."

"You're the best thing that's happened to me," Kurt whispered. He hugged his father again. "I never would have gotten through school without you. I never would have gotten through this without you. I love you so much."

"I love you too, son," Burt pulled back. Clapping a hand to his shoulder, he said, "I once believed we'd never move forward after your mom and we did. You're going to get through this, Kurt,"

"Thanks dad," Kurt smiled.

"Now let's get back inside. Carole is probably done chatting with the cab driver," he turned back to the apartment.

"Look what Grandma got me!" Belle rushed forward. She handed Kurt a small box.

Opening it, Kurt smiled, "Belle, these are beautiful!" He brushed her hair behind her ear, "They aren't real, are they?"

"They're just clip ons but I thought the bell earrings would look cute for our shining Belle as she walks down the aisle to wedding bells," Carole said. She walked toward Kurt and gave him a hug. "Hi sweetie, it's so good to see you."

"I didn't expect you to be here too," Kurt kissed her.

"Your dad got anxious to get up here. I was still getting my bags out of the cab," Carole chuckled. "Rachel's a part of our family. We wouldn't miss it for the world."

"More like chatting with the cab driver," Burt mumbled.

"Rachel will be thrilled," Kurt smiled.

"How is the bride?" Burt asked.

Shrugging, Kurt said, "Nervous. Everything's going well though."

"When is my grandson getting here?" Burt asked.

"Relax, dad. She's still got a little ways to go," Kurt said. "I've got dinner in the oven. We could invite Rachel and Sam over. Blaine should be home soon. He had a few errands to run."

"That would be great," Burt replied.

Dialing his phone, Kurt couldn't help but smile. It felt so good to have his family together again.

* * *

"It seems like just yesterday you and I were getting married," Blaine said, fixing Kurt's bow tie.

"I know. What an eventful time that was," Kurt smiled. "So much happened in that year."

"It was a hard time but it led me to you, and I wouldn't change that for anything," Blaine placed his arms around Kurt's neck. "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

"Remind me," Kurt whispered.

Gently pressing his soft lips to Kurt's, Blaine moved his right hand to cup Kurt's cheek. It felt so natural, so right.

Kurt deepened the kiss. He closed his eyes, placing his own arms around Blaine's waist. "I love you so much," he whispered in between kisses.

"We haven't done this enough,," Blaine moved his lips down to Kurt's neck.

"Should I stop my wedding so you two can have sex or...?" Sam entered the room.

Embarrassed, Kurt backed away from Blaine and said, "Sorry, Sam."

"Rachel's asking for you," Sam said to him. "We're just about ready."

Kissing Blaine one final time, Kurt turned to Sam and gave him a hug, "Good luck. Take a deep breath."

"Thanks," Sam said quietly.

Kurt left the room and headed down the hallway. He found Rachel sitting in a chair with her head in her hands. She was crying. It made his heart feel heavy. Kurt walked over to her and knelt in front of the chair. "Rachel..." he started.

"I don't want to hear it," she sniffed. "This is all wrong. I don't know what I'm doing."

"I don't believe that," Kurt took her hands and pulled them from her face. "Rachel, you love Sam and he loves you. How could you have doubts about that."

"I don't have doubts about S-Sam," she hiccuped. "It's just that... I have doubts about... about me. I'm not meant for this, Kurt. I'm not the type of girl who gets her dreams. I'm not the type of girl that wins."

Taking her face in his hands, Kurt wiped a tear from her cheek, "Rachel, there is a man standing in the other room waiting for you to become his wife. You did win. You have Sam."

"What if he regrets it?" Rachel said.

"Why would he? He's been living with you for so long. He knows you almost as much as I know you. You are worth it," Kurt said.

"How do you know?" she met his eyes.

"Because you're my best friend. You're Rachel Berry. You shine brighter than any star in the sky. You're beautiful and talented." Kurt smiled, "If I wasn't gay or in love with Blaine already, I'd marry you."

She gave a weak smile, "That's not an option?"

"No, but I promise that Sam's your next best option," Kurt said and she chuckled."

"I know you're right. If Sam didn't want to be here, he wouldn't be." Taking a deep breath, she said, "I'm just scared, Kurt. Everything's happening so fast."

"You think I don't know that?" Kurt said. "Do you know how quickly I went from thinking Dylan was the one to marrying Blaine? I almost ran before our wedding. I thought I must be crazy to marry someone I had only met a few months earlier when I had known Dylan forever."

"And look how that turned out," she said. "Do you regret what happened between you, Dylan, and Blaine?"

"Not for a second because I knew when I met Blaine that he was the one," Kurt squeezed her hand. "Rachel, you have two options. You can either go through with this or you can walk away. No one is making you do this."

"I love Sam," she whispered. "But I loved Finn and Blaine too."

"Finn is gone and Blaine was always gay. Those were good reasons that things didn't work out. But Sam is here. Sam has been here. Don't wait until it's too late."

Using the arms of the chair to push herself up, she gave Kurt a tight hug. "You are truly the greatest person I know, Kurt Hummel."

"I had a feeling," he joked.

"And you're sure I can't marry you?" she nudged him.

"No but it's time to decide if you're going to marry Sam. Are you coming with me?" Kurt held out a hand to her.

Hesitating, Rachel took his hand and followed him into the hallway.

* * *

Taking a deep, steadying breaths, Kurt glanced at his notes, before looking up at the crowd of people staring st him.

"Um Hi," he started. "So I wrote a speech for this but I think it doesn't do Rachel justice, so I'm gonna wing it."

He glanced at Blaine, who gave him a thumbs up. "Okay," he reassured himself. "So Rachel Berry and I met in high school... in glee club of all places. We didn't really like each other at first, then we became friends. She tried to marry my brother and then we moved to New York. Things were always sort of complicated between us. We don't have a normal friendship. We fought for solos, we shared experiences I'll never forget. We laughed, we cried. And I always knew our friendship was special. We've always told each other that we're soulmates... That's never changed."

He looked at Rachel, who had tears in her eyes, and had to fight back his own. "Things really got complicated when I started dating her boyfriend unintentionally and she ended up pregnant with his baby. I thought I would die. Those few months were hard complicated but they gave me the greatest gift: my family.

"The day Belle was born, She, Rachel, Blaine, and myself became a family. A strange one but a family," he took Rachel's hand. "I've seen Rachel's shares of ups and downs. She recently told me that she felt like she never got to reach her dreams... but she has. She has family, she has this city, broadway, her potential. Above all that, she has Sam.

"I've known Sam almost as long as I've known Rachel. He has become Blaine's best friend, Rachel's love, a father to Belle, and a member of my family." He smiled at Sam. "If you had asked me when we met if I thought Rachel and Sam could ever get married, I would have said 'hell no.' I knew Rachel was supposed to be with my brother... But through all of our trials and tribulations along the way, we're here at their wedding. I couldn't be happier for the two of you. I'm grateful to officially welcome you into our family, Sam Evans."

Applause followed this and Kurt wiped his eyes. He gave Rachel a hug that Sam joined, followed by Blaine and Belle. He closed his eyes, taking in the embrace of his family.

Kurt felt lighter than he had in a long time. It felt so good and so right to have his family and friends together. It felt great to have a reason to celebrate for a change.

That feeling only grew stronger when Santana announced over the microphone, "And now it's time for the father-daughter dance."

"You go dance with your dads for this one but save me a special dance later,, okay?" Sam said to Belle.

"Deal," Belle rushed over to where Kurt and Blaine sat. "So who's gonna dance with me?" she smiled.

"Why don't we dance together?" Blaine stood up and took Kurt's hand. With his other hand, he grabbed Belle and moved to the middle of the restaurant.

"This was such a nice small space to rent out for the evening. Just enough for a small wedding," Kurt said. "I'm so glad Rachel went through with it."

"Me too," Belle wrapped her arms around Blaine's waist. Kurt took Blaine's hands in his and together the three of them moved around the small space.

Nearby, Rachel danced with Leroy. Will Schuester danced with his daughter. Given that the rest of the wedding party was mostly made up of glee club members, they were the only ones on the floor.

As Kurt, Blaine, and Belle attempted to move across the floor, Kurt gazed into his husband's eyes and smiled. For the first time since Belle has been home, his heart felt complete. Here before him, were the two people that mattered most to him. Together. Safe.

"Let's get away next week," Kurt stated.

"What?" Blaine chuckled.

"Sam and Rachel are going to be gone next week. Summer is here. We have our family. Belle needs some normalcy in her life. Let's just get away as a family." Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand. "We could all use a stress free week."

"What about work?" Blaine asked.

"Take off," Kurt said. "Look, we only have so much time with Belle before the summer ends and the baby gets here. Our jobs have been so understanding about our issues. Let's just get away."

"Where did this come from?" Blaine asked.

"I just want Belle to get out of the apartment. To go somewhere and have fun," Kurt said.

As the song came to an end, Blaine stood there with Belle's arms still wrapped around his waist. He stared into Kurt's eyes, "Okay, we'll do it."

"Really?" Kurt asked.

"Why not?" Blaine smiled. He pulled Belle's hair out of her face and over her shoulder, "We need some time with just the three of us."

"I love you," Kurt kissed him softly, grateful that his husband was so understanding..

"I love you too," Blaine smiled.


End file.
